


A Bleached Skryim

by tealeyedbeing



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Skyrim Fusion, Dragonborn DLC mentioned briefly, M/M, Mainly Dawnguard, Minor Violence, Spoilers for the Skyrim storyline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-04-06 15:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 28,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4226496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tealeyedbeing/pseuds/tealeyedbeing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Bleach/Skryim AU collection of fic tidbits I wrote, where Ichigo is the Dragonborn, Shirosaki is Serana from the Dawnguard DLC, and Grimmjow makes brief appearances. I took a lot of liberties with this just to have some fun (and knowledge of Skyrim is definitely needed) but I hope some find enjoyment in this as I did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Bleach Skryim AU Headcanons:  
> Ichigo: Nord, dragonborn, free-lance Imperial agent since he despises the Stormcloak’s racism, dislikes most of the Daedric Princes but is champion for a few of them, has defeated Alduin  
> Shirosaki: Vampire, snow elf, powerful necromancer and destruction mage, both last of the original pure-blood vampires and one of the last snow elves, at least 4000 years old and speaks multiple languages (some of which are now dead languages)  
> Grimmjow: Imperial, blacksmith, fences stolen goods and spy for whoever pays the most, champion for the few Daedric Princes Ichigo dislikes and adventures for loot in spare time

Initially Ichigo only agreed to assist, but not join, the Dawnguard through a mutual goal to stop the growing vampire menace from preying on mortals and especially to stop them from growing so populated and bold that they’d attack cities at the gates. And while Ichigo expected vampires when Isran sent him to go investigate Dimhollow Crypt, he didn’t expect to overhear vampires plotting amongst themselves about some high lord as they puzzled out how to open something or another in a giant underground cavern with ancient arching stone architecture.

Clearing the room of enemies was simple enough, leaving Ichigo alone to take the puzzle upon himself to figure out what how to open and get into what they were after for the Dawnguard. After finding nothing else of particular notice, Ichigo risks poking the raised pillar in the center of the room and swears, jerking his hand back as a needle emerges that slices through his glove and side of his finger upon contact, dropping blood onto it. Purple flames glow into life along the marks on the floor, appearing to pass through several of the braziers and making them look misplaced. The thought prompts Ichigo to attempt pushing the braziers so that they do match the purple fire’s path along the markings in the floor and grins in triumph as the last one slides into place and the room rumbles tellingly. 

The floor dips inwards, rumbling with ancient mechanisms and some older magic and he carefully circles the stone monolith that surfaces with the lowering of the floor around it. Ichigo runs a hand along the flat unmarked surface, wondering about its significance if there’s nothing on it to read. He jerks away, withdrawing his sword again when half the monolith slides open and down into the floor at his touch, allowing the young Nord to realize it was actually serving as a container.

The pale man that stumbles out of it, falling to his hands and knees with an Elder Scroll on his back is unexpected. Ichigo is immediately defensive as no mortal could still be alive after being buried underground, and his suspicions are proven when the stranger tilts his head back to squint up at the dragonborn with the telltale vampiric eyes. He looks to be an elf with pointed ears, but of near pure white that Ichigo has never seen another elf come close to achieving, and he’s not sure being enclosed underground would result in that kind of pale complexion if the stranger didn’t have some of it in the first place.

The mysterious man gives Ichigo’s sword a wary look, but then appears distracted by the bodies lying nearby. He frowns, seemingly realizing the deceased as fellow vampires. He stands upright with startling fluidity, his yellow eyes burning with more than just questions. Unsure but unwilling to attack a seemingly defenseless confused man, Ichigo keeps his sword at the ready but does not approach, waiting to see what the stranger does first.

Ichigo’s taken by surprise when the first expected question comes out in a foreign language though, blinking in confusion at the indecipherable silvery words twisting through the air in an even stranger echoic voice. At his obvious confusion, the mysterious man switches to another language, this one more guttural and rough but still just as incomprehensible. Ichigo shrugs apologetically when the stranger huffs as this too fails to provoke understanding in the dragonborn.

The unnaturally pale stranger squints at him, irritably brushing his long white hair back out of his face, visibly switching mental gears again and this time producing recognizable words. “I said, wha’ year is it?”

“Oh,” Ichigo blinks. “4E 204.”

The numbers seem to only confuse the mysterious man more. He steps away from the stone monolith that had imprisoned him with an obvious sneer of disgust for it. He crosses his arms, casting his unusual gaze down towards one of the dead vampires. “Ya obviously know wha’ I am then, so are ya ‘ere t’kill me?” His words sound slightly slurred and abbreviated, but it’s understandable enough. Ichigo is willing to wager Norse is not the stranger’s first (or even possibly second) language, which impresses the Nord in the back of his mind. 

“Typically I would,” Ichigo agrees cautiously. “But I’m more curious why you have an Elder Scroll and why other vampires were planning on dragging you back to some castle.”

The mysterious man’s lips twist into a truly vicious snarl at the very mention of somebody forcing him to do anything, shooting another nasty look back at the empty monolith and reinforcing Ichigo’s growing suspicion that the man wasn’t here of his own free will. The pale vampire angrily rubs at his brow, heaving an irritated sigh as he seemingly contemplates what to do, shooting Ichigo a wary side-eyed glance to ensure the dragonborn hasn’t moved.

Since most vampires attack him on sight and this one is cautious of the opposite, Ichigo feels relatively reassured that they won’t be actively fighting any time soon and puts his sword away as a visible peace offering. The mysterious man does freely turn away to rub at his eyes wearily, apparently just as reassured that they won’t be entering combat with each other for the moment. He seems to come to some sort of decision and turns back to facing Ichigo decisively after a few long moments of thought. 

“Look, wakin’ up like this has left me out of options, but I need ya t’ hear me out b’fore anything. Can ya do tha’?”

Ichigo shrugs agreeably, not one to be against talking something out to avoid unnecessary fighting. “Sure, but can we get an introduction first? I’m Ichigo.”

The vampire smirks, the first sign of a more positive emotion since he’d first fallen out of the monolith. “Shirosaki, an’ dependin’ on how ya take wha’ I’m bout to tell ya, nice t’ make yer acquaintance.” 

Ichigo nods agreeably, likewise aware that new information could just as easily turn this temporary truce into a new battle. “Alright, I’m listening.”

Shirosaki begins pacing again as he talks. “Okay yeah, m’a vampire, ya kill m’kind, yadda yadda. I was hidden ‘ere by m’mother, along wit’this Elder Scroll, t’keep m’father from using it to fulfill his mad prophecies, while she worked on a more permanent solution. However,” His scowl twists sharply downwards in something akin to betrayal. “If th’date is true, then it’s been far longer than the month she promised me, so I need t’do this on m’own, but m’gonna need some help t’do it…”

Shirosaki’s accent would take some getting used to, but as he focused, Ichigo could easily understand the severity of the situation. Considering the last Elder Scroll he’d encountered helped foretell the end times with Alduin the World Eater, the involvement of another wasn’t something to take lightly in the slightest. He says as much. “I’m guessing your father’s mad prophecy has something to do with what’s on that Scroll then?”

Shirosaki distastefully runs a hand through his unbound white hair, ripping off a piece of cloth from the end of his cloak and using it to tie his hair up and off his neck into a messy ponytail. “Ya’d be right in yer guess. It tells of a way to darken th’sun. Permanently.” He sighs heavily as Ichigo reflexively straightens in alarm at the revelation of (yup) another doomsday. “Yeah yeah, ya’ll need t’stop it from happenin’ I know, which is why I think ya could help me.”

Ichigo frowns, tightening his fingers from where he has his arms crossed. “Assuming you also want to stop your father then?”

The vampire grimaces distastefully. “Th’prophecy has driven m’father mad. He thinks if th’sun is darkened fer good, vampires can freely rule over mortals. He’s too far gone at th’promise of power t’realize it’d be th’death of us all, not jus’ mortals. M’mother an’ I were lookin’ fer ways t’stop him, but since she left me buried under there fer centuries, tha’ means she never found a permanent way t’stop him, an’ either hid herself or died.” He barely pauses before continuing to aggressively pace. “An’ if other vampires have finally found me, ya can bet they’re ‘ere on his command. It’s been a long fuckin’ time since I was last free t’ walk ‘round, so alone m’lack of current knowledge, along wit’ m’less than normal appearance, is gonna make me stand out an’ easier for him t’find me. I need someone willin’ t’help me hide an’ get information until we figure out a way to destroy th’prophecy.”

Ichigo neglects to mention just killing the mad father, since tending to suggest murder of a parent directly at their child typically doesn’t go over well. It also seems improbable, if the number of vampires Shirosaki seems to be implying is to be believed that even Ichigo couldn’t survive storming their castle alone. The Dawnguard would be probably prove to be detrimental if it came to a final assault, but bringing a vampire to their doorstep would be a guaranteed way to lose their trust and endanger Shirosaki’s life. It also runs the potential of being pointless, that even if they do eliminate the vampire menace, the prophecy could still be fulfilled by something else eventually anyways, leaving only Shirosaki’s plan to remain the sole solution.

Explanation delivered, Shirosaki had taken his turn watching Ichigo contemplate his choices, and their greatly differing eyes met once again after the Nord made his decision.

“Alright, I have a few more questions, but I’ll trust you for now. Don’t make us both regret that decision,” Ichigo warns, extending a hand across the space between them. “Allies?”

Shirosaki’s colorless lips lift in a wry smirk, and his pale skin is cold when he shakes the dragonborn’s hand with feigned politeness. “Allies it is for now then, Ichigo. Now, can we get outta ‘ere? I haven’ fed in a good millennia an’ m’frankly starvin’.”

Ichigo immediately grimaces, having temporarily forgotten the most unpleasant aspect of his new ally being a vampire. He doesn’t want to instantly cause a fight after agreeing to work together with the white elf, but he also can’t enable Shirosaki to go around biting hapless innocents.

Shirosaki notices his hesitation and rolls his eyes, propping his hands on his hips irritably. “Oh god yer one o’them righteous types, ain’cha?”

Ichigo scowls as his honor is taken to sound as an insult. “I can’t just stand by and let you go around biting people- innocent people.”

The vampire cocks out his hip, arching a brow in an unimpressed manner that hasn’t faded with his disconnection from time. “So can I take yer emphasis on so-called innocents t’mean tha’ criminals are fair game?”

As much as Ichigo hates to give permission for someone, even outlaws, to be drained by a vampire, he also knows that said vampire is his ally and needs blood to survive, if they’re going to put an end to another doomsday prophecy together. He also recognizes the slight hypocrisy of it, since he goes around and kills bandits himself, so it shouldn’t matter much if he lets an ally kill an outlaw a little bit slower in order to sustain themselves. He doesn’t like it, but it’s the best he can accept considering their situation.

Ichigo nods, uncrossing his arms and stepping up out of the bowl made by the dipped floor. “Outlaws are fair game, but only outlaws.”

Shirosaki rolls his eyes and follows Ichigo’s lead out of the centerpiece of the cavern. “As his majesty commands,” He mocks, and the Nord half turns back to question where the royalty idea came from when what he’d assumed to be two harmless statues burst into life as actual gargoyles.

Ichigo’s sword whips out in time to block the vicious claws of one gargoyle, and the other recoils as a shard of deadly ice explodes upon its stony chest and sends it stumbling backwards. Ichigo easily takes the opportunity to jump back and set his footing and tighten the grip on his blade as Shirosaki sends great bolts of electricity sizzling through the air past him to land stunningly devastating blows on the two gargoyles. Known for taking advantage of things wherever he can, Ichigo lunges straight forward (so that he won’t accidentally swerve into one of Shirosaki’s spells) and sinks his sword into the weakened chest of the first monster. It slides limply off the ebony blade as the vampire’s powerful destructive magic sends the other to its grave.

Surprise threat eliminated, Ichigo completes his original intended half turn and arches a brow in question.

Shirosaki stares back in utter exasperation. “What? D’you got a problem wit’ mages too or somethin’?”

The dragonborn smirks, sheathing his weapon once more. “Not really, just should’ve expected it I guess, since I didn’t spot a blade on you earlier. But what was that whole majesty thing?”

Shirosaki stretches his arms over his head, groaning as he works out old kinks in disused but preserved muscles, thanks to his vampirism. “Well typically th’most annoyingly righteous types are eventually made Kings, yea? S’how ya Nord types used t’be at least.”

Ichigo scoffs. “Guess it depends on who you ask nowadays, but I’m not a king. I hate politics.”

Shirosaki’s answering smirk promises future trouble, and he makes a sweeping gesture for Ichigo to retake the lead on their way out of here. The Nord finds a side passage that leads back up into the skooma den operating nearby to the original entrance he’d first descended, and the dragonborn grimaces at hearing several bandits discussing something on the other side of the door leading out. He’d been hoping to put off witnessing Shirosaki feed for the first time for a little while longer, but he supposed it was actually a good thing the deprived vampire could feed so soon after waking. 

Ichigo spares a brief look to his likewise crouching companion, unnerved to see the obvious hunger shining in those eerie yellow on black eyes. He speaks when they slide his way to meet his own brown eyes. “Take your pick, they’re all skooma dealers I’d need to get rid of anyways. I’ll take care of the rest.” He’s half startled and half disgusted by the blue tongue that peeks out to lick Shirosaki’s lips in eager anticipation.

“Wha’ever ya say, King.”

The additional nickname makes Ichigo twitch, but he ignores it in favor of bursting out the door and cutting down the first bandit with his back to them. He steps over the outlaw, leaving the man to either bleed out or be set upon by the vampire, instead focusing on clearing the rest of the startled outlaws drawing their weapons. Disposing of the rest is easy since Ichigo has the element of surprise in his favor along with his greater skill in combat, and he gets to the door leading outside and hesitates turning around to look for his ally in case he gets more than an eyeful of something he’d rather not see.

Deciding not to act like a squeamish child, Ichigo turns and does lay eyes upon the unfortunate sight. Shirosaki did indeed set upon the first bandit cut down by the Nord, with a white hand fisted in the poor man’s hair to keep his head bent back painfully so that the vampire has ample room to sink teeth into the redguard’s throat. Thankfully, the man seems already past the point of feeling the pain anymore, his dark eyes glazed over with the looming shadow of death as Shirosaki drains him of blood with a very old hunger. The man may have made poor choices to lead to a life on the wrong side of the law and hence Ichigo’s blade, but nobody deserved to be treated as food to any kind of predator. It disgusted Ichigo to stand there and allow it, but this was necessary and he would keep his word to the vampire nonetheless.

He isn’t kept awkwardly waiting long as Shirosaki sits upright with a contented sigh, tilting his head back with his eyes closed as he obviously savors finally having his hunger sated again. The vampire carelessly rolls the bloodless corpse off his lap from where he’d dragged it to feed with ease, standing and thumbing at his own mouth to clear any possible blood off his skin. He quirks a brow under Ichigo’s stare, seemingly waiting to hear Ichigo make another complaint but the Nord merely turns to opens the door outside.

Shirosaki immediately makes a face as sunlight streams into the dark room, and even from his position a few feet away Ichigo can see the yellow of the vampire’s eyes grow and swallow the black more as the night creature adjusts his eyes to the sudden daylight. Shirosaki wraps up his hair in one hand, holding it behind his neck as he pulls up his hood in preparation for braving the outside exposure once more.

When the vampire doesn’t suddenly burst into flame when Shirosaki steps past him and out into the sunlight, Ichigo follows and lets the door swing shut behind them. “I hope you don’t mind walking, I don’t have a horse because I spend so much time hunting criminals and don’t want one to run off with it.” Without waiting for a reply, Ichigo walks over to where he had his bag of supplies hidden before he entered the crypt and slings it up onto his back.

Shirosaki unhappily clucks his tongue but doesn’t refute Ichigo’s common sense, following behind sedately with his arms crossed, noticeably so that the pale exposed skin of his hands is safely tucked away out of direct sight. The carefulness of his posture and his meticulously fastened hood puts a note of concern in Ichigo’s voice when he next questions the vampire.

“You going to be alright traveling in the sun for a while?”

His yellow irises seem to almost glow in the shade of Shirosaki’s hood as the pale elf turns to face Ichigo from where they are now walking side by side along the road. “M’fine since I jus’ fed, it’s jus’ annoyin’ at th’moment. Th’less I feed, th’more it burns, th’more powerful m’vampiric abilities are. Th’more I feed, th’less it hurts, th’weaker m’powers are. Give n’take Next question.” He smirks as if they’ve started to play a game.

Ichigo rolls his eyes good naturedly, but is glad to be given obvious permission to ask the many questions plaguing him. “So you’re a destruction mage mainly?” The Nord’s not used to having a travelling companion as he treks across Skyrim, heading vaguely towards his next assigned goal of recovering important crossbow designs for the Dawnguard.

“Eh, mostly I guess,” Shirosaki shrugs unconcernedly, the motion making the Elder Scroll bob on the edge of Ichigo’s vision. “Th’ hackin’ an’ slashin’ never really appealed t’me, an’ m’parents taught me all sorts of magic over th’years.” He side-eyes Ichigo warily. “Guess I should warn ya now tha’ I use necromancy, so if ya got an issue wit’ tha’ too then we’re gonna have more problems.”

Ichigo does frown. “I don’t like it no, but I’m not going to tell you not to use it either. That’d be like you telling me not to use a bow when it could help us.” He had a feeling he was going to be making a lot of allowances for the sake of their alliance, and he was going to dislike every moment it happened, but that was the very foundation of forming a partnership in the first place. You had to be willing to give up a few things for the sake of satisfying the greater goal.

Shirosaki hums a brief but distinctly pleased note. “Glad t’hear yer majesty’s th’ generous sort.” His grin is sharp when Ichigo shoots him an irritated glare at the running joke continuing still.

“My name is Ichigo.”

“Oh m’well aware, I jus’ prefer th’ way callin’ ya King gets yer feathers all ruffled.”

The dragonborn huffs, annoyed but not wanting to be drawn into a childish argument over it. Instead, he tries to steer the conversation back towards the serious matter at hand, and the reason they’re now traveling together at all. “So have any ideas on destroying that prophecy of yours?”

Shirosaki hums thoughtfully, diverting his path slightly to walk in the shade of the trees where he can for its momentary reprieve. “I need t’gather information b’fore I do anythin’ else. I dunno how far m’father’s gotten wit’out th’Scroll. We could try baitin’ one of his lackeys out an’ interrogate ‘em, if that sorta stuff isn’ on yer no-no list too.”

The continued jabs to his honor are becoming progressively irritating, but Ichigo swallows his automatic retort and tries to remain serious about the conversation. “Assuming you’re the bait, we let somebody see you and then just wait for word to get back to your father and he sends more vampires after you?” The Nord scratches at his cheek. “I’d rather not be publically seen with you much, people would lose their trust in me if they knew I was working with a vampire.”

Shirosaki doesn’t seem to be offended by Ichigo’s last concern, other than it seems to fuel his desire to continue making royalty jokes. “Don’ worry, King, I won’ tarnish yer reputation wit’the common folk, I’ll play bait myself once an’ then stay out of sight. I wasn’ exactly plannin’ on strollin’ into th’middle of towns much anyways.”

“Speaking of drawing attention,” Ichigo begins with a bit more bite than before. “I see you’re an elf, but I’ve never seen one so pale before. Is it because you were kept underground for so long?” He may have given up on masking his rudeness in the face of Shirosaki’s mocking comments.

The vampire, however, barks out laughter instead of becoming insulted by the barbed question. “M’a snow elf, dear King. M’guessin’ m’race hasn’ made a comeback in th’centuries I’ve been asleep if ya didn’ know tha’ already.” 

Now Ichigo feels guilt. “Uh, no… not really…” Suddenly awkward, the dragonborn deliberately looks away and tries to think of something else to talk about other than his Nordic ancestors driving Shirosaki’s people underground to eventually become the twisted Falmer they are today. He doesn’t know if Shirosaki knows about the Falmer yet or not, and won’t be the one to tell him if the snow elf doesn’t ask it directly.

Thankfully, Shirosaki doesn’t press the topic and instead lets it drop without further mention. “Guess tha’ leaves me jus’ taggin’ along wit’cha until we catch ourselves an informant. Any issues wit’ tha’?”

Ichigo chews on his bottom lip, the brief surge of guilt having gotten rid of most of his prior irritation with the immortal mage. “Not really, but you’re going to have to give me a run down on the particular kind of help you’re expecting out of me.” He shifts the strap of his bag across his chest so that it doesn’t pull his chest armor off to the side.

Shirosaki carefully adjusts his hair under his hood so that the minor protection doesn’t fall off and leave his glaring white face exposed. “Mostly ya jus’ gotta be m’eyes an’ ears in towns tha’ I can’ enter wit’out pullin’ everybody an’their grandmother out t’gawk at me. Listen fer rumors, gather information where I can’t, make sure nobody kills me as I sleep, tha’ kinda thing.”

Ichigo had been nodding along as he listened, then quirked his head in confusion. “Wait, sleep?”

Shirosaki returns the quirk with an incredulous one of his own. “Ya mean t’ tell me ya hunt vampires but don’ even know how they need t’sleep in a coffin every so often?”

Ichigo scowls. “I’m not the Dawnguard, I do more than just hunt vampires. The ones I come across aren’t exactly sleeping when I find them.”

The snow elf snorts. “Fair ‘nough. I can go wit’out sleepin’ for a few days, longer than ya could, but I still need t’ if I wanna keep m’strength up jus’ like everyone else.” He explains. “Sleepin’ also lets me go wit’out feedin’ fer jus’ a lil longer too. Thing is, once I’m in a coffin, I’m out.” He lifts a hand to knock on the side of his own skull, imitating a blow to emphasis the level of his unconsciousness. “Nothin’ can wake me up fer twelve hours- don’ look at me like that’, it’s not m’fault,” Shirosaki scolds at Ichigo’s resulting frown of the lengthy time. “It’s jus’ part of the vampire package, twelve hours checked out an’ only in a coffin or sarcophagus. Durin’ tha’ time, m’defenseless an’ even a child could kill me if they wanted to.”

Ichigo wrinkles his nose at the idea of standing guard beside a coffin for twelve hours, but acquiesces that it’s not Shirosaki’s choice in the matter. “Why only a coffin though?”

“Or sarcophagus,” The vampire reminds, shrugging his shoulders to shift the weight of the Elder Scroll so it settles more comfortably between his shoulder blades. “It’s cuz m’technically dead. An’ the dead can only truly rest in one o’those. Anythin’ else isn’t considered restful. It’s dumb, I’m well aware.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and ran out of steam for that interaction sadly, but hopefully it was a good taste


	2. Necromancy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some chapters will be really long (like the first) and others will be really short (like this one) since they were originally written in fits and spurts, when I would have inspiration and then at other times when it would just be a quick idea, and they don't all connect fluidly but hopefully seem chronological

Shirosaki’s necromancy is probably what Ichigo hated most about the vampire’s skillset. Reanimating corpses was dishonorable and twisted, and seeing their bloodied bodies attack their former allies would never sit well with the Nord, but Ichigo had learned his lesson of trying to preach morals to Shirosaki. The pure blood was simply far too old and powerful to be restricted from any abilities he possessed by so-called morality. So Ichigo didn’t like it, but had also given up trying to change it.

And as much as he hated it, the dragonborn could at least acknowledge it had its usefulness. Particularly when they were up against a hoard of draugr and a few of their number could be used to their benefit and keep them from being overwhelmed by the wave of undead. Shirosaki did at least dismiss his power over the corpses as soon as the battles were finished, so Ichigo wasn’t forced to look at their pitiful forms any longer than necessary.


	3. Anger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> really tiny vague thing

“Ya think I asked fer this? Tha’ I got t’choose m’parents and wha’ they gave me?” Shirosaki is kneeled facing away from Ichigo, hovering over the body of a bandit, but the rage is clear in his voice. “Tha’ when I came o’age I had th’ choice to deny Molag Bal’s gift?” The gloom of the cave makes it appear all the more sinister when the dark cloaked immortal turns to finally rest that burning gaze on Ichigo directly. “I never asked fer anythin’ tha’ made me what I am, but it is still my life, an’ nothing is takin’ it away from me, not even you.”


	4. Cave Crawling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and a little humor as our two heroes make their way across the wonderful land of Skryim

Shirosaki is grumbling about being out in the sun, as per usual, behind Ichigo when the dragonborn yelps as the ground underneath his foot crumbles and the Nord goes tumbling down ungracefully into a rocky but thankfully shallow ravine. The vampire’s nasty laughter follows him down into the shade until he lays stunned and bruised at the bottom, blinking up at the trickle of sunlight slanting down into the narrow crevice. Groaning at his new aches, Ichigo pulls himself upright and squints upwards towards the sky, his companion’s silhouette appearing over the edge and outlined black to the sun. 

“Yer majesty’s grace is impeccable,” Shirosaki taunts, his already odd voice echoing even more so down the rocky walls. “Glad t’see yer takin’ yer search t’find rock bottom seriously.”

“Oh shut up,” Ichigo calls up, looking around to see if there is anything down in this small ravine to make the unexpected trip worthwhile. If not, he may have to appeal to the vampire’s near nonexistent generous side for a way up these steep walls. Somewhat thankfully, peering into the darkness reveals what looks to be a cave’s entrance. He shuffles towards it just to confirm, and can smell damp air wafting up from underground. “I found a cave.”

“Good fer ya,” Shirosaki drawls, having followed Ichigo’s progress above ground. “Assumin’ yer gonna poke ‘round in there t’find another way out, I hope ya don’ expect me t’follow yer dumbass, cuz if we both get stuck down there, yer first on th’dinner list.”

Ichigo rolled his eyes, lighting a makeshift torch that allows him to peer more easily into the cave. It slants downwards, but looks no worse than other caves he’s been in before. He tilts his head back to look up at Shirosaki’s silhouette again. “And here I thought you’d jump at a chance to get out of the sun. Just stay there I guess, if it’s a dead end I’ll need to come back here anyways, but if I get out I can just join you back up there later.”

Shirosaki grumbled something inaudibly to himself, his outline moving to show the vampire is looking around his immediate area with obvious distaste of the idea of waiting out in the sun for who knows how long until Ichigo returns one way or another. The vampire’s hatred of daylight does outstrip his hatred of Ichigo’s habit of cave crawling, and he just needs to secure a way out before he follows is all. He makes a gesture to wait and then disappears from Ichigo’s view to find something that will assist them to get out later if the cave does turn out to be a dead end. 

Somewhat smug at getting the pure-blood to unwillingly follow him down into a mistake, Ichigo carefully climbs down into the mouth of the cave to look for signs of occupancy as he waits for the vampire to join him in the dark. His torch makes the jagged walls jump with shadows, and only a lot of experience keeps the dragonborn from being unnerved at every twist of light and slight echoing noise. He does jump with a startled curse when he turns back to check on Shirosaki’s progress and finds the pale vampire already standing behind him, silent and unimpressed by the surroundings as his yellow eyes glow in the gloom.

Shirosaki smirks at Ichigo’s obvious scare, even as the flickering torch light irritates him since he can see perfectly fine in the dark. The air in here is close and damp, so he wouldn’t be surprised to find water ahead, and even though he already feels disgust for the little side venture down here, the vampire does feel immediate relief of being out of the sun’s harsh rays.

Muttering insults about silent vampires, Ichigo gestures only half sarcastically for the night-seeing immortal to take the lead. He does know Shirosaki can see better down here, especially if he keeps the torch out of the vampire’s line of sight.


	5. To Sum It Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one reiterates a few things from the first chapter with a little extra transition plot tidbits, since literally this whole thing is just me spitballing ideas as they come to me

Most vampires can pretty easily pass as normal in towns and cities, but the older vampires look distinctly different than the “newbloods” as Shirosaki calls them, and the pale immortal himself is both a true pure blood vampire made by Molag Bal and looks far too unique as a snow elf as well to pass as normal anymore. As a result, he has to stay far from populated areas, since despite his power being perfectly able to overwhelm entire cities, Ichigo tends to frown upon innocent deaths and the towns guards would attack on sight, provoking Shirosaki into defending himself. No, it’s best that Shirosaki remain outside the cities while Ichigo goes inside to do business.

They arrange a time and place to regroup after Ichigo has finished trading in the town, so Shirosaki isn’t just mindlessly waiting around on the outskirts and can wander freely to his own devices in the meantime. He usually feeds on the outlaws they find on their journey across the land, and while Ichigo still doesn’t like watching the vampire feed on living people, he prefers criminals be bled than innocent civilians. Shirosaki takes their time apart to gorge himself freely away from Ichigo’s annoyingly judgmental eyes. 

It’s clear without discussion that neither of them particularly like the other. Ichigo is a noble Nord at heart, and dragonborn at that, savior of the people and vanquisher of evil. Shirosaki is a creature created by a Daedric Prince thought to be the worst enemy to mortal kind, fed from blood and thriving in the terror of night. They’re forced to work together through no other choice if they both want the world to remain as it currently is, since Shirosaki’s father has been driven insane by the idea of an ancient prophecy to permanently shroud the sun in darkness. And while the pale pure blood would certainly like to never be burdened by the sun again, that’s a line that can’t be crossed if the tenuous balance in the world is to be kept. They need each other to keep this prophecy from being fulfilled. 

The search for the remaining Elder Scrolls has proven lengthy, however, forcing the two to learn how to cohabitate with one another and dare say become unlikely allies. Killing one another after everything they’ve been through together and learned about each other would just seem like a waste, even if they are practically direct opposites and hold intense distaste for one another’s lifestyles. 

Shirosaki doesn’t require sleep as often as Ichigo does, but after too much stress or time in the sun, the vampire is forced to find someplace dark and secluded to rest. His sleep is an uninterrupted half day, and he sleeps best when inside a coffin but can manage anywhere untouched by the sun. Ichigo typically has to remain nearby standing guard as Shirosaki sleeps, and while they usually clear out the area beforehand, there has been the rare few times where some adventurer has come across them and forced Ichigo to protect his resting companion.


	6. Feeding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another longer one   
> um warnings for this one would be Shirosaki feeding off Ichigo, tho they have a lengthy discussion leading up to it so it's not like *surprise*bite*

It’s been days since they last came across brigands or anybody of criminal origin that Ichigo wouldn’t have an issue letting Shirosaki feed from, and the vampire is getting progressively hungrier. The sun burns more than ever and he’s increasingly irritable as a result since Ichigo insists on traveling in the daytime hours. Animal blood doesn’t slake his thirst, not like it would for the newbloods. He is a pure blood vampire, and requires mortal blood for sustenance. 

Ichigo finally notices something’s amiss from the usual when they finish clearing yet another Nordic ruin of draugr and he sees Shirosaki looking at the long dead withered bandits with reluctant contemplation. “What is it?”

The vampire shoots him a scathing look, eyes noticeably flicking down to Ichigo’s jugular. “M’starving,” He admits, crossing his arms unhappily at being forced to admit the weakness. “S’been days since ya let me feed on anybody.” 

Ichigo frowns and mentally counts back the days since he last saw Shirosaki feed, realizing it has been nearly a week since they last saw anybody not undead or an innocent traveler. He grimaces guiltily at the realization, having explicitly forbidden the vampire from bloodletting anyone not outlawed and hence forcing him to go hungry as a result. He shifts his weight nervously, palming his sword hilt while he debates their options. 

The simplest thing to do would be to find some bandits, but the area seems to be lacking which led them to this scenario in the first place. He could let Shirosaki make the next passerby a thrall and feed from them, but he doesn’t trust the immortal to have restraint and keep from really harming the poor innocent and Ichigo didn’t think his conscience could stand letting it happen either. That only left either ignoring Shirosaki’s hunger until they finally found some more of the frankly abundant criminals, or offering his own blood to the ancient vampire, since Ichigo knew at least Shirosaki wouldn’t kill him as long as they were forced to work together.

Shirosaki had wandered off to poke through some burial urns for coins while Ichigo contemplated his choices, and he looked back over when the dragonborn uneasily cleared his throat.

“If it’s, um,” Ichigo flustered, not liking the idea of offering himself up in the slightest, but he did feel guilty for it being his fault that Shirosaki was abiding his rules and going hungry at all. “If it’s that bad, you could, um, feed a little from me…?”

Shirosaki tilted his head, blinking at the obviously unexpected offer but thankfully he doesn’t mock Ichigo for his stuttering and appeared to be seriously considering it, understanding that the proud Nord wouldn’t offer his own blood if he didn’t think it was absolutely necessary. It’s a gesture of trust and possibly more, so Shirosaki returns it with honesty. 

“I could maybe go a few more days b’fore it gets unbearable, but m’not gonna be able to stay out in th’sun fer much longer unless I sleep t’night, so depends on yer plans on where ya wanna be t’day.”

Ichigo hums and rubs under his chin, newly hyperaware of where his armor presses into his neck as he considers the risks. The barrow is completely cleared, so it’d be safe for Shirosaki to rest here for twelve hours and he has enough supplies to last the extra day to spend here, and they probably could stand to travel at night more if the sun does tax Shirosaki more as he hungers until they find some outlaws. On the other hand, they still run the risk of not encountering anyone else and Ichigo would prefer to do this while Shirosaki still seems in control of his hunger and not mindlessly driven by it. 

“Maybe we could do a little of both?” Ichigo thinks out loud, crossing his arms. “If you feed and sleep, how much better would that be?”

Shirosaki stands from his crouch and approaches with growing interest in the conversation, piqued that he might eat soon. “Depends on how much ya let me have, t’where ya can’t feel it would last me ‘nother two days if I also sleep. T’where ya can feel the drain, would last me ‘nother week and I wouldn’ need t’sleep.”

Ichigo hums to consider it, but has largely already made his decision. “I’d prefer it if you slept here tonight while you can, just in case brigands keep hiding in the next week, but you can take enough to where I feel it too.” He narrows his eyes as Shirosaki looks considerably excited by the suggestion. “But I don’t want you taking too much where it affects me badly and I can’t do anything without getting dizzy.”

Shirosaki rolls his eyes and flippantly waves a hand. “I know tha’, I wouldn’ leave ya defenseless while I’m defenseless and countin’ on ya t’watch over me. I won’ take tha’ much. ‘Sides, long as ya eat after m’done ya’ll be back t’normal in no time at all.”

Satisfied, Ichigo opened his mouth to agree to the final terms but paused at the glimpse of Shirosaki’s sharper than average teeth that reminded him of the very real threat of vampirism being contracted. “It won’t turn me will it? You biting me and leaving me alive?”

The pure blood again waved off his concerns. “Nah, m’not like all them contagious newbloods runnin’ ‘round spreading vampirism like goddamn rockjoint. M’bite is a choice, ya won’ turn unless I intend it. Ya’d be a pure-blood too by th’way, if I turned ya, if ya were curious ‘bout how tha’ worked.” Shirosaki smirked slyly as Ichigo grimaced at the suggestion.

“Yeah no thanks.” The Nord deadpanned, shrugging his shoulders as if preparing himself for the ordeal. “Alright then, deal.”

Shirosaki grinned and clapped his hands in blatant eagerness. “Ya got a preference where I bite? Doesn’ gotta be yer neck if tha’ makes ya uneasy, just somewhere wit’ a clear artery, like yer arm.” He licks his lips, uncaring if Ichigo shoots him a dirty look for enjoying this too much. “I always have been curious how ya taste, if yer so called dragonblood tastes any different.”

Ichigo rolls his eyes to hide his anxiety in the face of Shirosaki’s eagerness, working on removing his left gauntlet to expose his forearm since he definitely is uneasy with the idea of willingly letting a predator at his jugular. “Just don’t get used to this, it’s only a last resort.”

“Yeah yeah I’m aware,” Shirosaki acknowledged distractedly, hawkishly watching Ichigo put aside his armor and bare his skin up to the elbow. He takes Ichigo’s wrist with deliberate delicateness when the Nord extends his arm, pressing cold fingers into warm skin to find a good vein to bite into that will give him good blood flow without bleeding Ichigo out. He gives the dragonborn one last chance to back out, as much as he really doesn’t want to offer it. “This’ll hurt yanno.”

Ichigo steeled his jaw. “Just don’t go overboard.”

Shirosaki holds eye contact as he lowers his head to a spot just below Ichigo’s elbow, and then bites down just hard enough that his incisors slice through flesh and provoke the body to bleed freely. To his credit, Ichigo doesn’t flinch away from the pain nor look away, even as Shirosaki’s own eyes flutter shut to fully enjoy the taste of blood after nearly a week without. He pulls his teeth free, sealing his mouth over the wound and lapping at the punctures to encourage more blood flow. The vampire lets the blood collect in his mouth to enjoy the taste, because he was right after all. Ichigo does taste different. He tastes like power, and if he wasn’t bound by a promise, Shirosaki would be dearly tempted to take it all for himself anyways. 

Ichigo watches uneasily as Shirosaki swallows thickly, obviously savoring the taste of his life essence. The prickling sensation of suction is strange, and Ichigo shifts with mild discomfort as the vampire tongues at the wound hungrily for more blood. Beyond the initial bite, being fed from isn’t that painful, just an incredibly wrong feeling that he’s willingly letting it happen. The Nord shifts subtly, unable to yet feel the drain and wondering how much longer this will take until he does since Shirosaki seems absorbed in feeding and unlikely to answer if he asks. He can only trust the vampire will stop when he’s taken the agreed upon amount.

Shirosaki is meanwhile in considerable bliss, as he typically is when he feeds but more so than usual since Ichigo’s dragonblood is a real thing apparently and the taste of power is quite exquisite indeed. The blood flow has lessened to a trickle when he doesn’t actively suck, and he licks at it roughly instead so as to not tear Ichigo’s skin worse into a bigger wound. As a result of his very being, he can never be truly satisfied, but he can feel his hunger subsiding back to an ignorable amount until he can next feed fully to his heart’s content. 

Ichigo had finally turned his gaze away to wander the room out of patience since Shirosaki only continued to show enjoyment tempered with restraint as he fed, and looked back to his arm in mild surprise when the vampire pulled away with a satisfied hum and began binding the inflamed wound with spare cloth. “That’s it?”

Shirosaki snickered, briefly showing bloodied teeth as he wrapped Ichigo’s forearm to stem the remaining bleeding, tying off the bandage with a firm tug. “Don’ be so disappointed, King, yer dragonblood actually has somethin’ t’it after all, an’ I don’ need as much as I’d thought, especially not if m’also sleepin’ t’night.”

Ichigo appraises his nearly bandaged arm, noticing how professional the binding actually is and flexing his arm to test how it feels. The wrappings are firm enough to suppress the bleeding and still allow him flexibility, and the wound itself just feels like a deep bruise and not like he’d been bitten at all. He’s a bit surprised that Shirosaki knows medicinal qualities, but realizes he probably shouldn’t be if the vampire has been forced to live alone for centuries on end and lived several lifetimes’ worth of experience. Sometimes Ichigo forgets how old Shirosaki really is, and how much the vampire has lived through and learned. But that’s another thought for another time as Ichigo sits by his pack to pull out his preserved food to eat as the immortal had suggested he do after being bled. 

The irritability that has been plaguing Shirosaki for days has completely vanished, and the vampire is nearly chipper as he appraises the nearby sarcophagi for a suitable sleeping spot for the night. Most of them have been abandoned as the draugr woke up and were recently killed again by the duo and disposed elsewhere, and he finds one that looks cleanest with the heavy lid still mostly on top. 

Shirosaki looks back across the room where Ichigo is watching him again, not wanting to start a firepit too far away from the sarcophagus the vampire chooses. He grins and pats the one he’s chosen. “Ya want anythin’ else b’fore I sleep then?”

Ichigo picks up his pack and moves over to the chosen stone coffin, resting it against the side and nodding at its acceptable location in regards to the room’s single entrance. It gives him an ample vantage point and plenty of time if anyone were to come in, as unlikely as it is. “No, I’m good to set up camp if you are.”

Shirosaki hops up into the sarcophagus and easily slides under the lid, stretching out more comfortably in a coffin than anything technically living ever should. He yawns more for show than any actual weariness, since once the lid is closed he’ll be asleep whether he was really exhausted or not. It’s just how being a vampire works. “Mmm g’night then King, don’ let nothin’ bite me while I sleep.”

Ichigo rolls his eyes, shoving the lid in place with a grunt of effort. “Yeah, I got it. I’ll see you in twelve hours.” He doesn’t expect a reply as the stone slides into a place with an air of finality, sealing the vampire away temporarily into a death-like sleep. The Nord stares down at it in a moment of clarity that this odd situation has become the norm in his life. He shrugs it off and moves away to gather random junk around the room that can be safely burned to cook a hot meal, since this barrow will be his camp for the night.


	7. Awkward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one can technically directly follow the last one, but i never specified on the original document so it could go anywhere

Ichigo has fallen into a light sleep against Shirosaki’s coffin, when the door opening across the room jerks him awake and his sword is half out of its sheath before he’s fully conscious. An angry Nord woman barrels up the stairs towards him, a war axe in her right hand but it’s not yet raised overhead to swing as Ichigo scrambles upright to meet her.

“What do you think you’re doing in my ancestor’s crypt?!” She demands angrily, blue eyes practically spitting fire. “I came to give offerings and find the door broken and bodies dragged out of their coffins at every turn! You defiler!” 

Ichigo winces at her volume, even though he knows nothing but time will wake Shirosaki from his sleep. “Easy, it wasn’t me, I swear. The draugr were already awake and met me on the road by the time I got here. I couldn’t just let them wander free, so I came in to put them back to rest. I’m sorry if I disrespected your ancestors, it was the only option since I didn’t know if anybody was going to come here again soon.”

Her expressions becomes wounded, gazing away towards the empty sarcophagi as her war axe fully drops to her side. “Draugr? They woke on their own?”

Ichigo shifts his weight uneasily, uncertain how much time has passed and worrying when Shirosaki will awaken. “I don’t know. They were all that I found when I got here, I didn’t find any signs of a necromancer.” Beyond the one that came in with him, that is. 

She sighs and sheathes her axe at her hip, unknowingly looking down at a stranger in the sole closed coffin they’re both standing by. “I haven’t been able to come and give offerings as much since the war started, I wonder if it made them restless, thinking they’d been forgotten…”

Ichigo thought she was stretching, since no one truly knew the reason why the draugr woke and wandered their crypts. He had a more serious problem, like somehow convincing her to leave her own ancestral crypt so that she wouldn’t freak out when a vampire necromancer woke up from her family’s coffin. He grinned awkwardly when she looked back at him again.

“Thank you for putting them back to rest then, I suppose… But if you don’t mind, I would like to be left alone to return their bodies to rest.”

Ichigo winced, mentally scrambling for a reason why he couldn’t yet leave. This was an unfortunate first, usually the rare chance of this happening was from a plunderer looking to make some easy coin and could easily be scared off, but this woman had the right to be here and Ichigo himself was the one intruding. Her polite look became confused the longer he floundered and didn’t agree to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i totally blanked like Ichigo on what to tell random lady why he was there and couldn't leave so eh heh left alone...


	8. Grimmjow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and finally Grimmjow makes his brief appearance~

Normally Ichigo is hyperaware and on alert to know if anybody follows him out of town as he leaves to rejoin Shirosaki at the designated meeting place, so it’s genuine credit to the blacksmith that does follow him that the dragonborn doesn’t notice his stalker until the man reveals himself weapons brandished as soon as Shirosaki arrives in all his pale yellow eyed glory. 

The vampire hisses more out of surprise than pain at the thin scratch cut open on his cheek as he dodges the blade intended to behead him, back peddling from the cleverly hidden stranger as Ichigo likewise jumps to his feet with blade drawn. The man is clearly an experienced fighter and well aware of what Shirosaki is, lunging with the intent to kill but not expecting the dragonborn to leap into the fray in the defense of the vampire, and not to assist.

The blacksmith also isn’t expecting to be Shouted at, and Unrelenting Force sends him crashing through the undergrowth as Shirosaki hisses and spits at the offensive injury adorning his cheek, charging up a nasty destruction spell in his left hand to fire after the follower. Ichigo manages to get in the way, forcing the immortal to release the ice harmlessly into the ground and glare nastily in return to the Nord’s warning expression. The stranger has straightened up quickly some ten feet away, sword at the ready and blue eyes narrowed in distrust as Ichigo approaches cautiously with his own blade drawn, but the other hand held up to plead for peace. 

“I’m not sure why you followed me, and I don’t expect you to understand, but Shirosaki is my ally and I can’t allow him to be killed.” Ichigo grimaces unhappily at being forced to admit he unwittingly led an enemy back to his unlikely ally, careful to keep himself between the blacksmith and the vampire still glaring daggers at each other. “And as much as I don’t want to, I will kill you if you force me to.”

Shirosaki bares his teeth, stepping close to Ichigo’s back and knowing that this man is dangerous if he followed the Nord so easily without the paranoid dragonborn knowing it. “Lemme kill him anyways jus’ fer knowin’ we’re workin’ t’gether, King. It can’t be good fer yer hero reputation t’let it get around ya saved a vampire.”

Ichigo twitched at the jab to his pride, knowing Shirosaki was trying to provoke a fight just to let loose after that insulting ambush. “Not yet, we don’t know if it will come to that. Will it, Grimmjow?” He addressed the blue haired blacksmith, remembering him from town, having spent a good portion of his time alongside the man tuning up his own armor and weaponry.

Grimmjow sheathes his sword roughly, crossing his arms and scowling. “Dunno, I wasn’t expecting the dragonborn to be chummy with a bloodsucker, was just curious why ya were being so paranoid about not being followed outta town.”

Ichigo chanced a look at Shirosaki and winced at the sharp glare he got in return. Guess that answered that question. “It’s a long story, and a private one. You’re just going to have to trust me that we’re working together for the benefit of everyone.”

Grimmjow furrows his brow, not looking as suspicious as he was before for some reason. “This have something to do with the Dawnguard asking around for some Moth Priest?”

Shirosaki leans over Ichigo’s shoulder, surprising himself with how eagerly he latches onto the information. “A Moth Priest? ‘Ere in Skyrim? Ya sure bout that?”

Ichigo frowns, sheathing his own blade now that the conversation seems amiable and maybe even informative. “I thought the Dawnguard were strictly vampire hunters, why would they be looking for a Moth Priest?”

“Who cares,” Shirosaki dismisses, even though he is slightly curious as to why his mortal enemies are seemingly on the same trail as they are concerning the prophecy. “If there’s a Moth Priest ‘ere, tha’ means he prolly knows where a Scroll is an’ tha’ means we need t’find ‘im.”

Grimmjow’s brows lift. “Yer looking for Elder Scrolls?” His expression is incredulous, and while his guard hasn’t completely dropped, he definitely is no longer aggressive. “Those are end times kind of shit, the fuck is going on?”

Ichigo shares another look with Shirosaki, this one slightly more pleading since it seems Grimmjow is more perceptive than expected. The vampire sneers and shoves away.

“Fine, if ya won’ let me kill ‘im, ya may as well tell him if he’s already guessed tha’ much.”

“Okay, well you’re not too far off the mark there,” Ichigo grins wryly. “Shirosaki and I are trying to stop the vampires from fulfilling a prophecy that will permanently shroud the sun in darkness if it succeeds. We’re trying to get the Scrolls before his father, and the Moth Priest could help us find them.”

Grimmjow quirks a brow in disbelief. “Well if yer not shitting me bout that, why would a vampire be helping you stop that from happening?” He shoots said vampire a blatantly distrustful look, sneering when the immortal snarls at him in return.

“Cuz m’not fuckin’ stupid, tha’s why,” Shirosaki spat, angrily wiping the blood off his cheek from the shallow cut gained from the blacksmith’s swift blade. “Th’sun goes dark, we all die. No sun, no food, everybody starves. M’father’s just too far gone to realize tha’ an’ his court’s too scared t’stop him so I hafta, an’ King ‘ere is helpin’ me cuz he’s everybody’s hero.”

Only time spent with the vampire tunes Ichigo into the pain Shirosaki feels, being forced to finally admit the final goal out loud. Despite all their differences and the madness now consuming the ancient vampire’s father, they are still a family and working towards their murder must be agonizing after centuries. Ichigo feels the rare urge to comfort his companion, but restrains it since Shirosaki would only violently reject it, especially in sight of Grimmjow.

The blacksmith at least regards Shirosaki with new understanding, and some reluctant admiration. He ignores the latter for the sake of both their pride, instead leveling Ichigo with his intense blue gaze. “Fine, I’ll keep yer secret, dragonborn. Last I heard, the Dawnguard were headed towards Dragon Bridge after the Moth Priest. I’ll send a courier after ya if I hear anything else about the end of the world.”

Shirosaki snorts and turns away, hefting his pack and already walking away without bothering to say goodbye. Ichigo extends a grateful hand. “I’d appreciate it, and thanks Grimmjow. I’ll keep you in mind for the future.”

Grimmjow takes the offer of friendship with a good natured grin. “Good luck, dragonborn. Sounds like yer gonna need it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kitty can't stay outta my fics  
> but that's all I've written with him so far, the rest i've currently got is just more Ichigo & Shirosaki interactions


	9. Not So Suddenly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here is where the Ichigo/Shirosaki pairing finally comes into play  
> the hurt/comfort fluff kind of actually did sneak up on me over the course of me writing this entire thing stretching out over a few weeks or so  
> *Isran is a Skryim-Dawnguard npc and it never occurred to me to replace him with another Bleach character instead, same with Sybille Stentor

Ichigo would have been worried about Shirosaki’s emotional state even before the Dawnguard went back on their word and tried to kill him, since they had just succeeded in stopping the vampire’s ancient father and his mad prophecies. They’d known since practically the start that the crazed immortal would need to die, and while Shirosaki was skilled at appearing unaffected by it in the face of greater things, there were times where Ichigo could see past that stoic nature and see the pain festering underneath. Ichigo didn’t even have the time to check on Shirosaki’s wellbeing after the death of his father when the remaining Dawnguard turned on them.

Only Ichigo’s finely honed instincts saved Shirosaki from a grievous wound, the vampire being too distracted by the all too recent death of his father to hear his own instincts screaming to avoid the crossbow bolt aimed at his heart. The vampire staggers when Ichigo yanks the pure-blood behind him, blade raised as the dragonborn puts himself between Shirosaki and his former allies.

“That was a dumb idea,” Ichigo warns gravely, releasing his momentary grip on Shirosaki’s wrist now that the vampire is aware of the danger he’s currently in. “I’d advise you not to try it again, because you just wasted your one chance of me sparing your life.” He knows Shirosaki is still reeling from murdering his own parent, but is reassured as he feels the destructive power being charged between the vampire’s palms in preparation to likewise defend themselves.

Isran looks sorely disappointed that the surprise attack failed, having wanted to inflict a fatal wound before a fight could start, one that now seems imminent. “You knew it would come to this. It can’t be allowed to live.”

Ichigo scowled, dangerously tightening the grip on his sword. “You have no honor. None of this would’ve been possible without Shirosaki, and yet you betray him the second it’s over.”

“Honor and its help aside,” Isran dismisses easily, stepping equal with the bristle of crossbows leveled at Ichigo and Shirosaki. “It is still a monster that preys on mortals, and that won’t change. And as the last of its line, it especially needs to end here.”

“I’ll make this simple for you,” Ichigo retorts harshly, fed up with the man’s inability to see past his own all-or-nothing viewpoint. “Either get out of our way as we leave, or prepare to die.” He makes this ultimatum because Shirosaki has remained silent this entire time, a true sign to the vampire’s inner upset as usually the immortal had a sharp, loud tongue. The longer he remained quiet, the more they had to get out of this area for Shirosaki’s wellbeing. If the vampire wished it, they could return later after the Dawnguard had abandoned the castle, but now they needed to flee it, another large scale battle on the way out or not.

Isran sighed regretfully, but at least considered the choice being given to him. He had already lost good members to the vampires, and had himself witnessed Ichigo’s superiority in battle. If they conflicted here after they’re already battleworn, he had no doubt that their numbers would lessen even more so. Skyrim was vast and full of hidden crevices, but they would slip up eventually, and then the Dawnguard would strike, at full strength once again. For now, Isran makes a grand acquiescing gesture for Ichigo to pass freely, and the Dawnguard parted to allow a passage to the door.

Ichigo sneers and doesn’t move, jerking his sword to one side. “Not happening, all of you to one side. You’re a fool to think I’d walk between your blades.”

It was worth a shot. Isran again gestured, and the remaining Dawnguard moved under his command, collecting all to one side of the door with their weapons sheathed. A few looked grateful not to be immediately fighting again, but most just looked hateful and distrustful that the dragonborn was against them and remaining allied with their immortal enemy. 

Distrustful himself, Ichigo kept his blade pointed towards his former allies and blindly reached back to usher Shirosaki towards the door, careful to still keep himself between the Dawnguard and the still worriedly silent vampire. The pure-blood goes willingly along with Ichigo’s protective ushering, obligingly keeping himself out of the easy line of fire and pushing the door open to the rest of the castle. Ichigo quickly closes it behind them just to be sure, then just as swiftly urges Shirosaki forwards to flee the castle.

They escape out to the boats without further incident or being chased, though Ichigo still looks over his shoulder for any snipers just in case as he shoves the dingy off the sand and back into the water. Shirosaki has curled up in on himself at the bow of the boat, unmoving even as Ichigo clambers in and hastily begins rowing. Ichigo doesn’t cease his furious paddling until he’s confident they’re well out of range of the crossbows, and then pulls the oars into the middle of the boat to rest for a moment, panting slightly from his effort.

The sun has begun to crest in high noon since their assault at dawn, and the cloudless sky worries Ichigo since he knows for a fact that Shirosaki hasn’t fed for an entire week in order to heighten his powers in preparation for the final battle, and the sun damage must be painful. If it is, Shirosaki doesn’t seem to notice or care, too withdrawn into himself. They’re still within sight of the castle, so Ichigo is unwilling to probe into the emotional duress just yet. For now, he pulls up the tarp protecting the bottom of the boat and carefully flaps off the dirt on it before draping it over Shirosaki to shield the vampire physically from any more harm.

It provokes a reaction from Shirosaki finally, the vampire lifting his head when the rough material settles over him and blinking out at Ichigo from under the newly made cover. The Nord’s heart thuds painfully in sympathy at the broken expression now adorning Shirosaki’s pale face. He offers a weak smile, taking another moment to meticulously ensure the wind won’t blow off the tarp and keep the vampire protected from the relentless sun. He’s somewhat comforted when the vampire reaches to hold onto the tarp himself, keeping it closed tight around himself like a blanket.

Ichigo briefly rests his hand on Shirosaki’s bowed head, not yet verbally offering any comfort as he sits back and begins rowing again at a more sedate pace that will get them back to shore soon without straining himself any more than necessary. Shirosaki rests his head on his knees after the light touch, and doesn’t move from that position for the rest of the trip, holding his silence. 

Ichigo grunts as he heaves the dinghy on land back at the mainland, just enough to keep it from drifting off out into the water again. He lets Shirosaki sit wrapped up in his tarp as he appraises his map, looking for someplace nearby that could provide the vampire somebody to feed from and simultaneously provide shelter that’s discreet enough that the Dawnguard won’t think to immediately search there if they intend to. Not much meets those requirements, and Ichigo has started contemplating a way to sneak Shirosaki into Solitude somehow and feeding the vampire himself when the pure-blood finally makes a noise. It’s not a good noise, the weak little shuddering breath that ripples over Shirosaki’s shoulders, but it’s at least something.

Ichigo folds his map away, kneeling by the boat and cautiously putting a hand lightly on Shirosaki’s back, wary just in case the vampire doesn’t want comfort again. The immortal doesn’t violently shrug off his touch, so Ichigo shuffles closer and risks rubbing small circles on the bend of Shirosaki’s hunched spine. He swallows thickly before hesitantly speaking, unwilling to force the ancient vampire into moving even when they need to.

“Shiro, I need you to tell me what you need…” Ichigo winces a little at his own words, scrambling to clarify his concerns a little. “I can find you someone to feed on, or would some of mine suffice for now?” He bites his lip upon stating the next concern. “We need to get somewhere safe.”

Shirosaki sniffs quietly, straightening up under Ichigo’s touch, obviously struggling to pull himself back together just a little in the face of the still looming danger. He’s momentarily abandoned his pride in the face of a greater pain, not even bothering to disguise the weakness in his voice. “I jus’ want somewhere t’sleep fer awhile…”

Still concerned but comforted by the verbal response at last, Ichigo spreads out his map at the bottom of the boat so Shirosaki can see it without moving. He points at a spot near Solitude, a little past the docks. “I know of a smuggling route into the city we can get into at night. I don’t have a coffin in my house there, but it’s the safe place the Dawnguard won’t think to look. If you don’t want to risk it, we can go to Wolfskull Cave,” He drags his finger across the map to a marker marginally closer to their current location. “I cleared it out before we met and it’s probably inhabited again by now, but that just means somebody for you to feed from and I know there are coffins there if you want one to sleep in.”

Shirosaki clutches the tarp a little tighter, sighing wetly as he listens to their options. “Prolly best t’go t’Solitude, m’not gonna be… okay fer awhile,” The vampire only sounds progressively more pained to openly admit it, but pushes forward. “Need somewhere t’hide out fer more than a few days.”

Ichigo nods decisively, already making mental plans to ensure a lengthy stay at his home for the vampire, including a coffin and blood. If he words himself carefully, he could even get assistance from the Jarl’s court wizard. He’d last left a majority of his long term supplies there as well before they sailed out to assault Castle Volkihar, and he’d need those anyways so this would be their best bet. He rolls up the map and stows it away, standing once again.

“It’ll take us the rest of today to make our way back there on foot, and we can sneak in at the dead of night. I’ll take care of the rest once we’re actually there.”

Shirosaki stands out of the boat as well, dragging the tarp with him and seemingly hesitant to let it drop. Ichigo lets him decide whether to keep its protection or not, keeping himself from saying anything reassuring that would only wound the vampire’s pride further. Instead, he pretends not to notice anything unusual when Shirosaki decides to keep and carry it to shelter himself from the sun’s damage. It’s short enough to provide ample shade and not hinder his movement, and as long as they don’t encounter anything to fight that Ichigo would need help with, he can remain sheltered until night falls in several hours. 

The trip itself back to Solitude is long and blissfully uneventful, though Shirosaki returns to his silence, looking simultaneously odd under his tarp and incredibly small under the weight of his grief. Ichigo doesn’t bother to fill the silence but keeps their pace consistent, so that the sooner he can get Shirosaki to a more permanent shelter, the sooner the vampire can start the slow process of recovery away from the more prominent dangers that still want him dead.

The tarp is left abandoned on the side of the road somewhere on the coast of Solitude after the sun sets, and without its shielding material, Shirosaki looks unusually small and frail as he follows Ichigo on blind faith, his dark eyes remaining distant and unfocused away his immediate surroundings. 

The smuggling route is still unguarded since Ichigo last used it, and old wooden doors creak in protest as he forces them open to peer up into the dark winding staircase. He whispers the Detect Life Shout, carefully peering at the walls for any of the telltale glow that signifies anyone is nearby and sees nothing. Shirosaki follows him listlessly up the stairs, halting when Ichigo does and remaining silently withdrawn into himself. 

The streets are dark with few lights lit, and the guards’ patrols are sparse at the late hour and widely set apart, giving Ichigo thankfully ample ease to smuggle Shirosaki into his home through the cellar. The vampire immediately walks to the opposite wall from the door and slumps down to the floor against it, sighing heavily and resting his head on his knees. Ichigo frowns at the immortal’s defeated disposition, locking the door and looking around his cellar critically as he tries to think of a way to breach conversation again.

“…I have a spare bedroom upstairs,” The sound of his own voice after hours without a sound is loud and abrasive to his own ears. “Unless you want to stay down here…?” Ichigo winces, fighting the urge to slap a hand over his own face at what sounds stupid and awkward. 

It at least prompts Shirosaki to let out a tired huff of weak amusement. “Ya’ve got great host skills, King,” The vampire tilts his head back on the wall, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply. “M’fine down ‘ere fer now, I’ll come upstairs in a few.”

It’s a quiet dismissal, or plea to be left alone, and Ichigo can easily oblige either way. “I’ll go shutter the windows.” He doesn’t quite flee upstairs, but it feels a little too close to it for his comfort so he hesitates and looks back at Shirosaki from the bottom of the stairs. “Shiro?”

The pure-blood opens his eyes to look his way, an unexpected wry smirk lifting the corners of his colorless lips. “Ya keep callin’ me tha’ now.”

Ichigo forgets what he intended to say at the non sequitur, thinking back and realizing that suddenly he had been shortening Shirosaki’s name ever since leaving the castle and hadn’t even been aware of it up until now. He shifts his weight, wondering if he’d crossed a line somewhere in their relationship together. “I guess I have… does it bother you?”

Shirosaki rubs his forearm over his eyes, chuckling dryly in a way that makes his chest sound hollow. “Nah, s’just nobody ever called me anythin’ less than m’full name b’fore is all…” His smile is wobbly and his eyes are glassy when his arm drops back to around his knees. “I like it.”

It screams all the more of the reality of Shirosaki being a lonely child for centuries, but for now the small happiness it brings to the pure-blood in the face of an all too recent tragedy, it’s worth it.

Ichigo gives a small genuine smile, extending a hand and inviting Shirosaki to come with him and not stay alone in the cellar. “C’mon, it’s warmer upstairs.” He doesn’t fully intend for the vampire to take his hand, as he’s holding it out more for appearance of inviting rather than actual expectation, but Shirosaki still manages to surprise him after all this time.

The pure-blood stands with some of his old fluidness, and crosses the room to the stairs to firmly grasp Ichigo’s outstretched hand, far too exhausted to even consider rejecting the offer of comfort at this point. Skillfully hiding his surprise, Ichigo widens his smile and ascends upstairs, leading his companion into the warmer lived in areas. The night is dark out the windows, and he’ll come back down to board those up after showing Shirosaki the spare room so that the vampire can roam the home freely when he feels up to it without worrying about the irritating presence of sunlight.

Shirosaki only lets go of his hand once he sees the bed, and then he slides past Ichigo and flops onto the mattress with an audible sigh of relief at finally having someplace comfortable to rest, even temporarily. He can’t truly rest and recover without a coffin or sarcophagus of the dead, but it will suffice until Ichigo can acquire the real deal.  
Satisfied Shirosaki is momentarily alright, Ichigo moves around the room securing the heavy shutters closed and stuffing spare clothes in the remaining cracks just to be careful. He makes sure the vampire is aware as he leaves the room to do the same for the rest of the house, beginning to feel his own weariness dragging down his body after the excessively long day. Shirosaki has gotten up again and is standing at the door when Ichigo returns upstairs, prompting the Nord to arch a brow in question.

Shirosaki has never looked worse for wear, somehow always managing to upkeep a pristine appearance before, and even now he looks physically flawless, but the emotional strain makes him appear bedraggled all the same. “I can’ really sleep, but if ya wouldn’ mind, I’d feel better if ya were in th’same room.” His eyes shift downwards, reluctant but unashamed to ask. 

Ichigo nods without hesitation, hiding his own yawn behind his hand. “Sure, we can share the master bedroom, and I’ll somehow get you a coffin in here by tomorrow.” He makes a lazy gesture for Shirosaki to follow him as he pushes into the master bedroom, already working on stripping out of his armor. Whereas Shirosaki wore a combination of leather armor and cloth robes that enhanced his necromancy and destruction magic, Ichigo wore a slightly heavier set of leather and metal pieces for more durable protection as he charged headfirst into the frontlines of battle. 

The dragonborn startles when he feels hands on his back, looking over his shoulder to see Shirosaki focused on finding the straps holding his armor together, thin fingers worming under his chest plate and helping lift it free over Ichigo’s head. A bit surprised at the unexpected act of intimacy (aka helping him undress), Ichigo was otherwise too tired to make a fuss and momentarily shrugged it off to possibly address later and gladly accepted the help to his intricate armor disrobing. 

They could probably both do with a bath after everything, but exhaustion was already weighing their limbs heavy and could wait a few more hours. The windows were double checked to ensure their cover was solid, and then Ichigo peeled back the covers and gladly flopped onto one half of the large bed. Shirosaki discarded the outer layers of his robes, leaving him in the softer undergarments as he crawled onto the other half.

Weariness weighed down Ichigo’s eyelids as he pulled the sheets up to his chest with a bone deep sigh as he finally relaxed, comfortable in his own home. He pried open one eye again with great effort to check on Shirosaki’s state of comfort, no longer feeling surprise to see the vampire lying on his side and watching him closely. Forgoing any reservations he might have had before, since his desire to provide comfort to his friend outweighs anything else, Ichigo rolls onto his side as well to face the pure-blood and holds his arms open.

Shirosaki barely even blinks before he burrows forwards into the inviting embrace, wrapping his own arms around Ichigo’s chest and pulling them together tightly. He still feels small in Ichigo’s arms, and the Nord only arranges them closer together because of it. The dragonborn is unable to stifle another yawn, tilting his head back to avoid knocking his chin into the vampire’s forehead. He carefully combs away the long length of Shirosaki’s white hair so it won’t be pulled on if either of them shift, mumbling sleepily.

“Wake me for anything, okay?”

Shirosaki doesn’t verbally agree, but he tucks his face closer against Ichigo’s neck and locks his hands at the small of Ichigo’s back, seemingly disinclined to let go for the entire remainder of the night. Even if they haven’t talked about it yet, and Ichigo won’t pressure the vampire into it, the physical comfort seems to be enough for now, and they’ll both take what they can get.

Ichigo drifts off without being fully aware of it, his last conscious thought being that he always had been a quiet sleeper and hence was very unlikely to move or pull away from Shirosaki even as he slept. When morning came, it was darker than it usually was with the shuttered windows, but Ichigo could still tell it was in the early hours and while he still felt tired, it was monumentally better than the few hours prior.

Ichigo reflexively tightens his hold on Shirosaki as he wakes and becomes aware of the cool body still wrapped up against him, loosening his embrace once consciousness fully returns to him. Shirosaki hums quietly in wordless greeting, seemingly not minding the brief squeeze, and while he still has the air of frailty to him, he doesn’t physically feel as small either which Ichigo marks as an improvement. His presence is more filling than it was the night before, less hollow and more here again. 

Ichigo yawns, nuzzling his face into Shirosaki’s hair to chase a few more seconds of drowsing even as he mumbles an inquiry towards his companion. “Did you rest any?”

Shirosaki shrugs one shoulder carelessly. “Not technically, but I feel a lil better anyways.”

Ichigo hums, cracking open one eye but all he can see in the dark room is the pale smudge that is the vampire burrowed under his chin. “I’ll work on that today. How about hunger?”

The pure-blood grumbles unhappily. “Starvin’, but not sure how yer gonna handle tha’ one, King.”

“Well there’s always me again,” Ichigo reminded, marginally more awake now and idly playing with the longest strands of Shirosaki’s hair. “It counts as an emergency until I figure out how the court wizard does it.”

The vampire shifts back slightly from their tight embrace to peer up at Ichigo’s face in the darkness with some faint surprise. “Ya mean t’tell me ya got a vampire in authority ‘ere in town? An’ no one says anythin’?”

“Yeah,” Ichigo nods, pulling back one hand to brush some of the more clinging strands of hair out of Shirosaki’s eyes, not particularly caring about his sudden affectionate nature towards the immortal. “Sybille Stentor. I’m not sure how or why she’s the court mage, but it’s rumored she feeds on the prisoners and I’m not above blackmail getting her to help if need be.”

Shirosaki snorts, lazily tossing his head to assist in getting the hair out of his face and sliding one hand under Ichigo’s rumpled shirt to rest on warm skin just because he can. “An’ ‘ere I thought ya were a saint.”

The touch sends a shiver up his spine, but more importantly it isn’t unpleasant. Ichigo rolls his eyes in regards to his apparent sainthood though. “I would think my relationship with you had erased that notion by now.” Saying it out loud makes it all the more clear to the both of them how long they’ve been together, and how deeply loyal Ichigo is to those he deems worthy, and Shirosaki has firmly solidified his place on that list.

Shirosaki quiets a little at the realization as well, tightening his hold on Ichigo’s shirt after a moment, which Ichigo can take as agreement for now. The Nord brings up the original question again in an attempt to divert the conversation from becoming too serious too early.

“So what would you like? Mine or can you wait a while longer?”

The vampire gladly takes the distraction, mumbling against the dragonborn’s bare throat. “Well if yer givin’ me th’option, m’gonna always pick ya first an’ foremost. Ya’ve got good blood, an’ it’ll last me til yer other plans fill out.”

“Hm kay,” Ichigo murmurs, purposefully tilting his head back in open invitation. “Go ahead then.” They’ve only done this twice before, and both times Shirosaki had fed from his arm, but they’d already crossed several lines of intimacy since last night, so what was one more?

Shirosaki also seemed to pick up on their changing relationship, but likewise didn’t outright comment on it and only shifted himself slightly upright on one elbow to get at a proper angle to bite. He nosed along Ichigo’s throat for a few lingering seconds, scouring out the perfect place to bite down before he did as gently as he could manage considering he was literally biting through someone’s flesh.

Just like the other times, the pain was only brief and sharp from the initial bite, and then the bloodletting itself was just a strange sensation of suction that Ichigo willingly allowed and even closed his eyes for a few more moments of rest while Shirosaki hungrily recovered some of his strength after so long without feeding. He may have even drifted off a little since he felt that the vampire pulled away soon after biting down, in which it only felt like minutes and he didn’t feel any more weariness than he already had to start.

Shirosaki idly licked at the shallow wound until it stopped bleeding, content to keep tasting as long as it flowed. He’d made sure to bite at a relatively low place on Ichigo’s neck, so that the mark would be covered when the Nord got dressed to go out and procure the vampire’s coffin. And unlike before, the pure-blood felt the need to really thank his companion this time.

It was slightly daring, but he could pass it off as mouthing off any lingering blood if need be, Shirosaki lightly kissed at the inflamed mark of his teeth on Ichigo’s warm skin. “Thanks.”

Ichigo hummed, seemingly either not picking up on the strange gentleness of Shirosaki’s actions or not minding it in the slightest. “You’re welcome. Now as much as I’d like to stay in bed all day, I’ve got to get up and plan a few things out.” It was a bit of teasing, but it was honest teasing as well. He really would like to spend a full day lounging in bed with Shirosaki if it was always this nice.

The vampire snorted, untangling his limbs from the Nord’s and rolling away to lie on his stomach. “Fine, yer free only cuz I need ya t’get m’stuff, but I fully expect ya t’make it up t’me later.” Two could play at this new game.

Ichigo sat up with a grateful groan, stretching his arms high over his head. “I’ll keep it in mind.” He rolled out of bed with a lightness in his body despite yesterday’s strain. Even with the lightness of their conversation, Ichigo wasn’t naïve enough to think all of Shirosaki’s pain had subsided overnight, but it was still slight progress already. Especially if things continued along the path they were currently progressing. Even if Ichigo was just being used as a temporary distraction, he wasn’t adverse to it.

He grimaces at picking up his discarded armor, not feeling too inclined in wearing the literal blood and sweat from yesterday again. In fact, now that he’s more rested, Ichigo’s kind of itching for a rinse down at the very least. Slightly disgusted, the Nord drops his armor again and props one hand on his hip as he regards Shirosaki still lounging across his mattress.

“I desperately need a wash. Are you going to lay there some more or would you like to join me?” The offer is bold, but if they’re hurtling along the path this fast already, he doesn’t feel uncomfortable making it. In fact, Ichigo’s reasonably sure it’ll be accepted. 

Their whole relationship in fact had been hurtling past normalcy from the start. From initial strangers of potential enemies and slingshotting into allies all within the same meeting, and the only thing gradual about their partnership was the evolution from allies to friends and realizing recently it was the suddenness of that stage. There was nothing surprising about progressing to the next step up if he thought about it.


	10. Multilingual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> self indulgent multilingual Shirosaki

Sometimes when Shirosaki was feeling particularly irritable, he’d lapse into one of his other languages, at times leaving Ichigo to wonder if he was being insulted within earshot and just couldn’t understand it. At other times, if the vampire was feeling bored and generous, he’d teach Ichigo a few words from his native tongue if the Nord was curious or seeking conversation. 

The most Ichigo had heard Shirosaki speak in his native tongue was when they met Gelebor in the Chantry of Auri-El on their search for Auriel’s Bow. The two snow elves had eventually lapsed back into Norse for Ichigo’s benefit, but thinking back on it later, the Nord remembers appreciating the smooth liquid syllables flowing back and forth.

With the practical extinction of the snow elf race, ignoring the Falmer, it was essentially a dead language now, and Shirosaki told Ichigo as much when the Nord had initially asked to learn a little of it, and would be better off learning the elvish languages still in use. The two had a common root, subtle differences on the tongue, but Ichigo insisted to learn the snow elf language more than the others.


	11. Spiderwebs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fluff~ dats it

Ichigo spluttered, waving in front of his face frantically and backtracking clumsily into the vampire, who automatically grabbed at the Nord’s shoulder to keep himself from being run over.

Shirosaki rolled his eyes as the dragonborn clawed at his face, spitting all the while. “Oh for- ya’ve saved th’world twice over but can’t even handle walkin’ into a spider web. Hold still ya infant.” He turned Ichigo around, swatting down the other’s hands and picking off the insubstantial web still clinging to the Nord’s face and hair himself.

Ichigo grumbled unhappily but obligingly held still despite his antsiness at the clinging sensation of film on his skin. As he waited somewhat impatiently to be cleaned off, Ichigo quietly observed the change in Shirosaki’s behavior towards him since their extended stay at Solitude together. Before halting the prophecy, the vampire would’ve solely mocked Ichigo for his troubles, instead of assisting him while he mocked. The concentration at which the snow elf was now cleaning off Ichigo’s face (admittedly while mumbling half-meant insults under his breath) was almost endearing. 

The surge of affection he felt for his companion must’ve shown on his face, because Shirosaki blinked and quirked a brow, pausing where his hands were lingering on Ichigo’s cheek and hair. “Ya pick weird times t’suddenly start thinkin’ romantic things, King.”

Ichigo grinned and shrugged one shoulder unrepentantly, leaning forward to steal a kiss. Shirosaki snorted in amusement but allowed it, pressing back lightly to return the sudden affection before he wormed a hand between their faces and playfully shoved Ichigo away. “Now don’ walk int’anymore spider webs. Honestly, how ya saved th’world twice over is beyond me considerin’ yer a hopeless child.”

The dragonborn snickered as he stepped away, returning to his prior position and resuming their trek through the cave to retrieve somebody’s lost something or another. With a current lack of anything threatening the world, Ichigo had returned to idle tasks of benefitting the common people and Shirosaki accompanied him through nothing better to be doing anymore.


	12. Solstheim

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a little bitty bit of the Dragonborn DLC as well

Shirosaki particularly hated the ash filled lower lands of Solstheim, and within a few hours of slogging through the dry bitter air and coughing half the time, Ichigo was inclined to agree. The ash spawn that could rise out of the ground at nearly any time certainly didn’t increase his favor any for the island. The fact that he’d seemingly jinxed himself and a third calamity had arisen also didn’t do much good for his disposition. 

At least the entire ordeal with the Black Books and Apocrypha allowed Shirosaki to return the favor of watching over Ichigo’s body as the Nord’s mind was pulled into Hermaeus Mora’s realm of knowledge to find and eliminate Miraak. He’d first came back to himself with a viciously worried Shirosaki almost ready to attack Frea since he’d unintentionally left the two alone and they’d already been mistrustful of each other from the start. 

The vampire didn’t like that Ichigo was alone in a Daedric Prince’s realm for extended periods of time doing god knows what, but at least Shirosaki could ensure nothing would happen to the dragonborn’s body in reality. It was an ironic task of returning favor, one that he was willing to repay, even though it was disturbing to watch Ichigo’s mind leave his body and remain standing in place with a blank expression.


	13. Weakness to Fire

Due to his nature as a vampire, Shirosaki had a weakness concerning fire, and hence most dragons were particularly dangerous to Ichigo’s pale companion. Shirosaki usually could maintain his distance in battles to avoid most fire damage, but considering dragons could fly, it was a bit harder to avoid excessively blistering gouts of fire, especially when the dragons prioritized the mage’s greater damage over Ichigo’s bow. Shirosaki’s natural resistance to restoration magic made the entire ordeal more difficult as well.

As of such, they usually had to get somewhere for Shirosaki to sleep in order to recover from his burns after almost every dragon attack. Ichigo felt increasingly guilty about it since as dragonborn he unintentionally drew dragons wanting to test his strength for themselves to him like moths to a flame. At least Shirosaki only felt bitterness towards the dragons and their fixation on him, and didn’t blame Ichigo himself.

“Stop sulkin’,” Shirosaki scolds from where he’s crouched at the river bank, splashing cold water on the raw burns crawling up his arms. “It’s not yer fault, how many times have I gotta tell ya?”

“I can’t help it,” Ichigo grumbles back, cupping water in his hands and helping pour cleansing water on the vampire’s injuries. It doesn’t help heal the immortal any, but since restoration magic can’t soothe his pain, the cold water suffices a little instead. “You know I hate seeing you in pain.” The Nord looks around to make sure no one is coming along the road to stumble upon them, mentally planning a route to a nearby crypt so that Shirosaki can sleep and recover from his rather severe burns.

Shirosaki carefully cups a handful of water to his face so that his hood doesn’t fall off and unintentionally draws Ichigo’s concern. He automatically shifts away when Ichigo reaches for him, cautious of getting any more damage on his face and looking up in surprise when the dragonborn jumps upright and Shouts Storm Call at the sky, darkening it into a thunderstorm. 

He snorts, letting Ichigo pull back his hood this time since the sun has been covered. “I can’t believe ya jus’ did tha’.” The vampire smirks in amusement, tolerating Ichigo fretting over the burn on his cheek as the first rain drops of Storm Call begin to fall.

“Shut up, I do what I want.” Ichigo mumbles distractedly, more concerned with the blistered skin spreading from Shirosaki’s cheekbone to his jawline. The snow elf’s porcelain skin makes the raw red scorch marks look more painful than it probably would on tanned skin. He’s careful not to let his fingers aggravate it any worse as he trickles a bit of river water over Shirosaki’s cheek, even with the rain now falling. “We can probably make it to the barrow now while the storm lasts.”

Shirosaki hums in agreement, momentarily closing his eyes as he enjoys the temporary relief from the sting. The rain will help a little as they travel as well, though as soon as they get inside again the wet clothes will be irritating. He plucks Ichigo’s hand from lingering on his face, standing and giving it a squeeze before letting go. “C’mon King, let’s get goin’ then.”

~x~

Ichigo sighs in relief as he moves the coffin lid off and Shirosaki blinks up at him sleepily, adjusting to the light and being awake again after his death-like sleep. “You look so much better.” He says in relief, reaching in to run a grateful thumb over the healed pale skin of the vampire’s cheek where a bad burn had previously marred it. He could still see a faint outline of the old injury, but it would fully disappear once Shirosaki either fed or slept again. It did tell how bad the burn was, and made Ichigo more grateful at how soon they found someplace for Shirosaki to recover.

The pure-blood yawned, stretching his cheek under Ichigo’s palm and lifting himself sitting upright in the coffin, his long white hair tangled over his shoulders from his sleep. He sleepily lets Ichigo inspect his arms of the vanished burns as well, using his free hand to rake his hair back out of his pale face and peering at Ichigo with one opened eye. 

“S’whole point, King.” Shirosaki reminds, taking his arm back in order to pull up his hair in a loose ponytail again.

Ichigo doesn’t answer other than to lean forward around Shirosaki’s elbow and kisses the corner of the vampire’s colorless lips. He grins when Shirosaki arches a brow at the sudden affection, leaning back in to give another chaste kiss full on. The Nord makes a pleased noise as the snow elf lets his arms fall to settle around Ichigo’s shoulders, lightly embracing him as Shirosaki kisses back sweetly. Ichigo may or may not be taking advantage of Shirosaki’s gentled mood after awakening, but the pure-blood doesn’t seem to care much.

Shirosaki hums, pulling his fingers through Ichigo’s hair and lightly biting the Nord’s bottom lip with his slightly sharper than average teeth. It was times like this where Ichigo’s romantic side suddenly reared its head again, that Shirosaki realized how much he did like the warmth shared between them after everything that had happened in his long years left undead-alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that's all I have written for this Bleach/Skryim AU mashup as of today. I'll mark it as completed for now, just in case I never do add anything to it after this. but I hope somebody out there who likes Bleach and Skryim read this and found some enjoyment out of it like I had writing it


	14. Harribel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I started over a new Skyrim playthrough and so this started off lamenting all the crafting required, and turned into Shirosaki creating another vampire  
> featuring brief Grimmjow again and Harribel   
> **edit** i realized instead of a nord i should've probably made Harribel a redguard, so i fixed that now

Shirosaki looked on, unimpressed with a single brow arched elegantly as Ichigo and Grimmjow bicker under the guise of haggling. How they became such unlikely friends was beyond the vampire’s comprehension, but he figured it had to do with whatever happened in the towns he wasn’t allowed to go near at risk of his own life and many town guards. Perhaps if the way they were going up against each other was any indication, they bonded over terrorizing vendors and thoroughly destroying the current town’s economy with all the junk they towed back from various crypts and caves to sell. It wasn’t exactly something Shirosaki had any experience with himself, due to being from a royal family even before he became a pure-blood vampire. Needless to say, he never did any of his own shopping.

Ichigo had an odd fixation on crafting his own armor, sometimes disappearing for days into the blacksmith’s and coming out with an entirely new set of gear. Shirosaki was rather vain about his appearance and usually refused anything Ichigo offered to enchant for him. He didn’t wear bulky leathers or anything with garish metal, and most mage robes were distinctly beige and bland so that was absolutely not happening. His current robes had literally existed for centuries, worn supple and perfect with ancient magic still powerful in current times, no matter how Ichigo worried the old enchantments would fail him. 

Still, Shirosaki knew Ichigo’s concern was well-meant, and graciously accepted charmed jewelry to wear to bolster his abilities and protect his person. Which brought the vampire’s musing back around to the current argument with Grimmjow. The blue-haired blacksmith had an uncanny ability to find ancient items with rare and powerful enchantments, which Ichigo was particularly interested in on his never-ending quest for better equipment.

Ichigo squinted at an emerald ring suspiciously, seemingly doubting Grimmjow’s claims of its resistance to spriggan magic. Shirosaki thought it was a pointless enchantment, since how often did people encounter spriggans to develop a counterspell for those creatures exactly? It was Ichigo’s hobby though, and if the dragonborn wanted to waste his time on finding a way to use it, then all the power to him.

Shirosaki yawned against the back of his hand, more for a show of his boredom than any actual weariness.

“Nobody’s keeping you here if you want to be elsewhere, Shiro.” Ichigo mumbled, his attention split between addressing the necromancer and replacing the spriggan ring with a silver necklace to appraise.

Shirosaki gladly slid to his feet immediately. “Charmed as always.” He directed, mostly sarcastic, towards Grimmjow as he walked towards the tree line.

“See yah, elf.” Grimmjow returned absent-mindedly from his cross-legged slouch in front of his jewelry collection and Ichigo.

Shirosaki rolled his eyes at the mention of his race and tugged his hood a little lower as he left the two to their devices. Ichigo didn’t plan to leave the area until sunrise, which gave him plenty of time to find a meal. People were really all he needed to “worry” about, since most animals had the instincts to avoid attacking a greater predator. The only difficulty he faced was finding a guilty person, since they were within a couple miles of Markarth and even the Forsworn aren’t stupid enough to camp within guard patrol limits. Still, perhaps he’d get lucky and wander across some unfortunate thief lurking along the roads.

Unfortunately, this never happened. Instead, Shirosaki came across an overturned wagon near dusk and several miles away from where he’d left Ichigo and Grimmjow. It was obviously a merchant cart, with ransacked crates and supplies deemed worthless strewn about. Shirosaki curled his lip at the petty violence as he stepped around the dead horse in its twisted harness to peer down at the merchant herself. She was still alive, but just barely, gasping blood breath through her gashed throat and her eyes nearly blind with pain. She was Redguard, blond and oddly scarred in the face for a merchant, still clutching a war axe to her breast that proudly bore the blood of her enemies. The vampire could appreciate a fighter, and debated ending her life mercifully out of respect, when her eyes abruptly zeroed in on him with alarming clarity.

“Vampire,” She rasped immediately, a sudden fire being lit somewhere within her, giving her strength to fight against death’s beckoning. “Turn me.”

Shirosaki was unsurprised that she so easily recognized what he was (he was rather the most obvious vampire there ever could be), but he was surprised by her demand. And it was a demand, not a request; not even a plea. Oh he did like a fighter. He knelt by her head, cradling her head in one hand as he bowed to her throat. Shirosaki didn’t need to question her choice. They both knew he could give her the chance to survive, and fight again. He bit down.

Shirosaki had known people who shrieked in agony when they turned, people who fainted, and people who grit their teeth and bore the pain with pride. This woman was none, but close to the last. This was not a choice made with health, but one of desperation. There was no pride in becoming a creature of the night, but it was one she would take to have her revenge against those who wronged her. She hissed through her teeth, blood burbling at her lips as it was forced out of her throat as the change overtook her. Shirosaki withdrew and sat upright, swiftly followed by the Redguard woman as well.

Her eyes glowed amber in the gathering light. “My thanks, vampire.” Her voice was smooth and deep without the rasp of death, and Shirosaki knew if she wished it, there would be none who could resist her seduction. “I am Harribel. What should I know?”

Shirosaki licked his teeth clean of her blood, unrepentantly savoring the brief taste. “I am Shirosaki. Ya will thirst, but yer power will grow if ya deny it. Th’sun will burn, but not kill. Ya can rest anywhere, but only sleep in a place for th’dead. Ya are alone, but ya can enthrall and turn others, raise others. Ya will survive. I am not yer master.”

Shirosaki and Harribel rose to their feet simultaneously, clasped hands briefly in mutual understanding, and parted ways without another word. Shirosaki walked slowly back towards Ichigo, rarely pleased with his creation of another predator. He had without a doubt that if they ever encountered Harribel again, she would be more than formidable. He was almost looking forward to it.


	15. In life, and in death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another Skyrim playthough equals more inspired Skyrim fic  
> this time with more serious themes and angst  
> *note: - are pov breaks, i couldn't seem to keep to just one of them, so they switch back and forth

Despite being companions together for nearly two years now, with the most recent third of that time having developed into a romantic nature, Shirosaki and Ichigo still fought rather often.  While their differences allowed each other to experience new aspects of the world and learn from it, those very same differences provided a lot of friction whenever tension came to fruition.  No matter how well they mutually understood each other, there were some fundamentals that could not be changed without irrevocably damaging what was between them. 

In this case, death was that fundament.  Shirosaki was immortal, and Ichigo was mortal with no plans to change such.  It wasn’t something they’d talked about before, not seriously at least, but as time progressed further it began to plague the vampire’s thoughts more and more. 

Ichigo was a nord, he had goals of a life filled with glorious deeds, an honorable death, and eternal valor within the Halls of Sovngarde.  In life, Ichigo had his family, legions of allies, and friends lining the streets of every city he visited.  In death, he would have the same. 

Shirosaki had none of that, not in life nor in death. While alive, he was a member of the extinct race of snow elves, a vampire who had betrayed his own species, doomed to be hunted by both them and the mortals he preyed upon, family dead (half by his own hands), and allies nonexistent barring Ichigo (ignoring Grimmjow’s occasional acquaintance).  In death, whenever it eventually took him, Molag Bal would claim his soul into eternal damnation within Coldharbour.  And while life held next to nothing for Shirosaki, it was still preferred to what waited for him in death.  For as long as it was allowed, Shirosaki would cling onto this façade of existence.

Their fundamental view of death was too different to equalize.  To Ichigo, it was a comfort- to rest at last in glory with like-minded individuals, while to Shirosaki it would only be the start of another never-ending war of survival.  Like most things, it essentially boiled down to fear.  Without Ichigo, Shirosaki would be alone in life as he will be in death since the two of them were obviously not going to the same place.  Shirosaki would have felt this same crippling fear of loss if the relationship between them had only remained simple friendship, but since they’d confessed deeper emotions of romanticism, the dread was far worse. 

The fear of being left alone again by the first person who had loved him- _him_ , not what he signified or could be manipulated to do like his parents had viewed him in the end- eventually drove Shirosaki to commit utter selfishness.  He knew Ichigo did not want to be a vampire, ever.  When they’d been forced to follow Shirosaki’s mother into the Soul Cairn, Ichigo had chosen to rather have himself partially soul trapped rather than allow Shirosaki to turn him.  He’d chosen to become weaker and vulnerable to countless other unknown complications rather than become immortal for even the briefest of times.  At the time, it hadn’t mattered in the slightest to Shirosaki since they’d obviously had greater concerns about saving the world, but now was a different matter entirely.  Now it meant that Ichigo would rather die than spend any more than a single lifetime with him. 

Shirosaki _knew_ Ichigo wouldn’t agree to be a vampire, along with the knowledge that the nord would gladly die an honorable death to ascend into Sovngarde, and yet he still acted out of selfish desires when the crisis reared its head far too soon.  The mark closing their second year together was still a month away, and yet here Ichigo was bleeding out in his arms in the middle of some dank barrow while truly dead draugr littered the floor around them.

They’d cleared out ruins hundreds of times before, this wasn’t even the most amount of undead they’d been forced to face down before either.  How could he let this happen?  Ichigo had already visited Sovngarde once before to slay Alduin, he didn’t need to be returning so soon.  How could he smile feebly up at Shirosaki’s stricken face, at peace with his imminent death and consider it honorable enough to leave the vampire behind?  Alone.

Shirosaki’s panic consumed him the moment he felt Ichigo’s pulse fade under his bloodsoaked fingers from where he’d tried to stem the flow from the broken arrow shaft piercing his lover’s throat.  He could not accept this.  He _wouldn’t._   His teeth sunk easily into the already shredded flesh of Ichigo’s torn throat and Shirosaki took none of his usual pleasure of feeding from the dragonborn, consumed instead with the singular need to force Ichigo’s body to accept the change and survive- in one manner or another.

For several agonizingly drawn out minutes, Shirosaki fears that he failed and Ichigo had slipped beyond his reach after all, until he can see death take hold of Ichigo in a familiar way.  His bloodless cheeks are still just as pale, but the skin of his throat knits itself closed once the elder vampire yanks the arrow shaft free.  When Shirosaki pries open an eyelid to check, Ichigo’s brown iris has become akin to his own- luminescent yellow even while unconscious.  The immortal feels both dizzyingly relief and sickening anxiety.  Ichigo hasn’t gone yet, but he might leave him behind anyways.

-

When Ichigo wakes, he instantly knows that it’s wrong.  The wound had been fatal, he’d had enough near-death experiences to recognize the real thing when he felt it.  They’d been too deep into the barrow for him to survive being carried out, too far from any help even if Shirosaki had managed to drag him back out to the sun.  He had died, Ichigo knows this for a fact, and yet he knows they’re still inside the barrow.  The air tastes the same, but how does he know that?  His senses are too sensitive, everything feels too sharp.  The ache in his throat gives it away at last, and Ichigo is _angry._

The sarcophagus lid is easily shoved off with the combined energy of both his rage and newly invigorated musculature.  Shirosaki is leaning against the side of it, curled up in on himself and smeared with dark blood- Ichigo’s blood all down his front, long white hair bedraggled and loose from its usual neat tie.  It’s agony Ichigo has seen his lover wear before, but the moment in his anger does not allow the newly turned vampire to recognize it.

“Shiro,” Ichigo spits, his own voice making him cringe at how loud it rings within his skull.  “What did you **do**.”  It’s not a question; they both already know what was done.  They both also hear the true question beneath it- _why?_   “You _know_ I-”

“Of course I know,” Shirosaki spits back, adorning his own armor of anger to combat Ichigo’s.  “Ya never let me forget.”  He stands aggressively, black nails cutting into his palms for how tightly he curls his fingers.  “Wha’ _you_ don’ know is how I can’t jus’ let ya go!”

Ichigo clambers out of the sarcophagus clumsily, flinching away from his heightened sense of touch that feels like daggers in his nerves just touching old stone.  He ignores it to hiss at the other vampire.  “You don’t own me, Shiro!  You can’t keep me here if I want to leave!”

Something Ichigo will later realize is distress flashes across Shirosaki’s face at his retort, before it’s buried under icy fury.  The snow elf steps into Ichigo space in a familiar motion of the usual song and dance of how they fight, but nothing about this is comforting to either of them.  Their newly matching pair of eyes burn heatedly as Ichigo continues before Shirosaki can interrupt.

“You _knew_ I never wanted this.  You _know_ I don’t want to live like this.”

Shirosaki’s teeth look alarmingly sharp as he snarls.  “Then go get fuckin’ cured.  I know ya’ve been lookin’ fer one.  Now ya can see fer yerself if it works.”

Ichigo shoves Shirosaki away, fed up with his lover’s proximity while their emotions are running so high.  “Because unlike _your_ selfish ass, I was looking for it for you!”

The much older immortal barks out a short, cruel laugh.  “An’ ya call me selfish.  I don’ _want_ t’be cured.”

“And I didn’t want to be turned!”  Ichigo screeches back.  “I wasn’t going to force you to be cured, Shiro, I would’ve thought you’d return the sentiment.”

Shirosaki’s expression shutters abruptly, leaving the distinct feeling of cold hanging in the air between them.  It momentarily stuns a small part of Ichigo, but he isn’t given another moment to dwell on it as the snow elf sharply turns away.  The vampire gets another step away before Ichigo realizes what Shirosaki is trying to do and the fledgling lunges after his lover.

The dragonborn seizes Shirosaki’s wrist tightly and yanks him back close.  “Don’t you run away from me, Shiro.  Goddammit _talk_ to me.”  As angry as he still is that Shirosaki would willingly do something so explicitly against his previously expressed wishes, Ichigo still maintains enough sense that he isn’t willing to permanently risk losing his lover over it either.  It was like Shirosaki said anyways, he can always get cured if the Falion he’s heard about can really do as the rumors say he can.  What matters now is figuring out Shirosaki’s motives. 

-

Shirosaki twists his wrist within Ichigo’s grip, testing the hold on him and irritably huffing through his nose the moment he knows he won’t be escaping from this conversation any time soon.  He doesn’t want to reveal his fears, but a glance backwards reveals that Ichigo has begun to drop his anger in favor of frustrated concern.  The fact that Ichigo is unwilling to let him just leave was comforting, but his earlier words still stung sharply in his heart.  Was the feeling not allowed to go both ways?

“Shiro, c’mon…” Ichigo murmured, keeping his hold on Shirosaki’s wrist to ensure the vampire couldn’t escape but also wrapping his other arm around Shirosaki’s waist, hauling them closer together.  His embrace isn’t as warm as it used to be now that they’re both undead.  “Talk to me, huh?  What’re you thinking?”

Fuck it.  Shirosaki will eventually lose Ichigo in the end anyways.  If revealing his darkest fears will let him keep Ichigo close for just a little while longer, then it’ll be worth it.

“Didja mean it?”  Shirosaki mumbles, turning his face into Ichigo’s neck and feeling the blood he didn’t bother to completely wipe clean flake off his skin.  “Ya wanted t’die?”

-

Ichigo furrows his brow, trying to remember when in their shouting match had he’d said that, when it hits him.  _“You don’t own me, Shiro!  You can’t keep me here if I want to leave!”_ He winces, realizing now how that actually sounds.  He sighs in frustration with himself, momentarily pressing his cheek into Shirosaki’s hair.

“No, I didn’t mean it.  I’m sorry I said that at all, Shiro.  I was just angry, which is no excuse.”

Shirosaki shrugs against him.  “We both were.”  The vampire noticeably hesitates, curling his fingers into Ichigo’s armor and pressing his face further down into the nord’s shoulder too.  “I was scared…”

The admission startles Ichigo, as it hadn’t occurred to him how his lover felt about him dying.  Ichigo remembers feeling the certainty of death, at how he hadn’t wanted to die but he hadn’t been scared to pass on.  He remembers Shirosaki’s vehement denial of a cure, and cautiously pieces the puzzle together. 

“…Shiro?  Are you scared to die?”  He’d whispered it, but Shirosaki flinched as if Ichigo had shouted.  He hurriedly wraps both arms around the vampire’s ribs to both offer comfort and prevent possible escape.  This was important, and avoiding it would only serve to harm.

Shirosaki struggles for a suitable answer for another moment before slouching in defeat.  “Kind of, yeah… but m’ more scared of being alone again.”

With a great jab of guilt lurching in his belly, Ichigo remembers why they fight so frequently.  So many of their differences stem from the same thing- what Ichigo has and Shirosaki doesn’t.  Ichigo had known it before, the same day Shirosaki had murdered his own father, just how truly alone the immortal was in the world.  And Ichigo had nearly just died.  Now he feels downright foolish for getting so angry over something borne out of desperation. 

-

Shirosaki can practically feel Ichigo piecing it together, at least on one side of the puzzle.  He’d bet good money that Ichigo is only focusing on him being left alone in life, and doesn’t realize that this fear persists until after death.  Even if Shirosaki was cured, a few decades of being mortal didn’t release him from the centuries of being Molag Bal’s creation.  Even Ichigo’s love can’t save him from Coldharbour.  He’d just have to desperately cling to the remaining years of Ichigo’s life, make sure that the time they had was as long as humanly possible, and run from his own death for even longer. 

Shirosaki’s raised from his sinking thoughts when Ichigo’s hug achingly tightens.

“I’m sorry, Shiro.”  Ichigo whisper is choked but there, vibrating in the open air that is finally beginning to warm again from the frigidness borne of their fight.  “I don’t want to leave you alone either.”

Shirosaki’s lips twist upwards depreciatingly.  “But?”

Ichigo’s hold tightens even further in his inability to refute the contradiction.  Shirosaki hopes he’ll have bruises to remember this by.

-

It’s not perfect, they’re far too different for it to ever be perfect.  But it’s good enough.  For now, they’re still together.  They’ll travel to Morthal, see this Falion who will cure Ichigo of his vampirism while Shirosaki rejects the same offer.  They’ll still fight, but neither will walk away, because what they have?  This love of theirs? 

It’s real, and it’s worth it.


	16. Unrelated Alternate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: This chapter is completely unrelated to the rest, aka Shirosaki isn't a necromancer/snow elf/mage anymore. I just really like writing in the Skyrim universe, and Shirosaki is one of my favorite defaults to write about period. This mainly consists of me playing around with/paying particular attention to game mechanics that we just take as normal when we play, but would actually be considered kind of insane if we actually lived it (aka killing everything you can, looting corpses, everybody having things for you to do, hoarding money, etc).  
> It's in bits and pieces as always, jumping around as ideas came and went over a few days, but it's finally gotten long enough that I figured I'd share it for now, since not like it's going anywhere else for now.  
> Oh thanks for all the kudos~ it got more attention that I was expecting for something so random o.o it's appreciated~

"It's funny actually," Shirosaki notes around a mouthful of bread. "How many people think yer not dangerous jus' cuz yer unarmed, an' yet there's mages who walk 'round constantly without a weapon, an' they literally fry people alive." He's smirking as he shares this bit of information, as if it's some big secret that had just slipped by everyone. "I'm no mage, but I can kill jus' as many people bare-handed as I can wit' a blade. Yer th' ones wit' th' body count t' prove it after all."

~x~

"I get paid t' kill things. It's a career tha' never runs outta jobs. People always want somebody or somethin' killed. Either a neighbor tha' wronged em, or ten bears t' control th' predator population so their livestock survive th' season. Blood is as good as coin out there, sometimes even better."

~x~

"You'd hafta be completely apathetic- some kind of monster to not feel anything after killing that many people."

"Wha', why should I? I dunno em, don' care t'. Sure, a few were prolly innocent, probability's sake, but most weren'. Why d'ya think somebody wanted em dead? Why should I lose sleep over em? They wouldn' me."

~x~

It was a personal rule of his, to kill every enemy in the proximity first, before looting. Possibly getting his back cut open because he was bent over rifling through a chest was a good incentive to follow the rule. As a result though, during some of his more lengthy "clears" as he called them, corpses would be cold and stiffened by the time he'd backtracked to them.

Most people carried only a handful of coins or trinkets on their person: a ring or two, a necklace, sometimes even a gem. Emptying pockets was easy enough, wrangling necklaces free mildly harder, and cutting rings off being the most tedious. Shirosaki didn't know what it was about dead fingers that made it so bloody difficult to pull rings off, but suffice to say that it was and he had little patience. He'd developed a better and efficient way, through a lot of practice and a sharp knife. Just a quick sever at the joint, and it was much easier to pull rings free. A quick rinse and they were good to sell, and nobody had to know where he'd obtained them.

~x~

Thief, graverobber, desecrater, traitor, and murderer were all things he'd been called by the public, from least to most severe in crime respectively. Shirosaki cared for no one but himself, and only had tolerance for allies that kept his connections open and able to sell his dishonestly earned goods. He didn't care in the slightest what the average civilian thought of him, but if a job let him screw over somebody that'd tried to spit on him in the streets, he'd admittedly enjoy it a little more.

Practically every Jarl in Skyrim had heard of him by now. He was a wanted man in half of them, and had successfully been jailed by a third, but none could keep him in one for longer than a day. He never stayed off the streets long. Guards glared suspiciously and made threats, but a lot had given up even trying to arrest him on sight anymore. Some even accepted bribes to "forget" seeing him at yet another crime scene.

The Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood had both tried to recruit Shirosaki before, but he'd refused. He was a loner at heart, and admittedly despised any chain of command. He tried to keep on amiable terms with both though, since larger organizations had wider connections, and could screw over his own contacts if he breached on a job otherwise claimed by them. So far they hadn't clashed significantly, and Shirosaki was hoping to keep it that way. Keeping a line of communication open between them, they "allowed" him to continue operating freely in exchange for information and rare goods. It was a good enough system.

~x~

Solstheim was a rare treat. Ash covered and filled with all kinds of new things to kill, with the added bonus of not having any other competition out here. Only the blacksmith at Raven Rock was Thieves Guild, and by his own mouth he was alone out here, so Shirosaki practically had free reign. He hadn't seen any indication that the Dark Brotherhood had even stepped foot here either.

Guards squinted at him with all the suspicion awarded all other "outlanders", and it was a novelty Shirosaki hadn't experienced in years. The Dunmer frequently commented on his pale complexion, annoyingly enough, but offered him jobs by the dozen regardless. One merchant even gave him discounted clothes, to protect from the ash and sun, with the comment "so that he wouldn't dry up or melt," which Shirosaki amusingly accepted that the merchant apparently thought him made of snow. Skyrim certainly had enough of the stuff to make people out of it, and discounted items were always preferred over full price.

Ashspawn were annoying bastards, literally popping up underfoot wherever there was ash, and that was a lot of area. They collapsed into smoldering piles after a few good hits, which Shirosaki didn't particularly understand but wouldn't complain at. He didn't particularly want to deal with an endlessly regenerating enemy after all, but if they were just made of ash, why not just regrow lost limbs and keep fighting? it wasn't part of his job to know why, just that they were in fact killable and that was good enough to get paid for. Ashhoppers were small and unnoticeable, popping up nearly just out of nowhere as well. Often times Shirosaki was only aware he was under attack when he felt their sharp spurs against his legs, and then kicking away the large insects was simple enough afterwards. 

Netches were fascinating creatures, passive too, so Shirosaki could stand and marvel at how ridiculous they looked for as long as he liked. They floated. He hadn't known it was possible for anything outside the magical Dragon Priests to even accomplish. They glowed too, under their bellies: a bright paralytic blue that pulsed in time with their breathing. Where even were their orifices? They looked like giant floating glowing mushrooms, the sort that grew in abundance in Falmer populated caves. They made no sense at all, but Shirosaki had learned quickly that the glow was not all for show, and the tentacles that hung down could numb his arms for hours if it so much as grazed bare skin. He killed five, as requested, and then left the remainder of netches he came across alone, simultaneously marveling at their ridiculousness and unwilling to risk more temporarily paralyzed limbs if he didn't need to.

Shirosaki came across a group of wild Nords in the mountains, camped under a crop of rock. They were openly hostile at first, unwelcoming to strangers, but then revealed themselves as a pack of werewolves when one oddly commented that he smelled of blood- a predator, like them. Then they let him sit by the fire to warm up and curiously question them about their living choices. Shirosaki had only ever met rabid werewolves in the wilds of Skryrim before, and heard that some members of the Companions were of the beast-blood, but this pack were like neither. The Frostmoon Pack were fierce and proud to be living wild on their own terms, and Shirosaki respected their openness to being predators. He was not wolf like them, nor pack, but the alpha found him kin enough through spirit to warrant parting with a ring of their kind as gift. It was called the Ring of Bloodlust, and while it was nothing but ornamental while Shirosaki was not a werewolf, he still found it fitting to accept and carry. It became one of his rare possessions that he kept for himself, and not to sell. The Frostmoon Pack bid him farewell after a few hours, with the promise that if Shirosaki ever desired the beast-blood, he would be welcomed back among them. Shirosaki doubted he'd ever want to be stranded in one place for long, but appreciated the offer nonetheless.

Miraak's cultists were aggravating to say the least, and randomly strewn about the entirety of Solstheim. Mages, all of them, and they'd attack on sight just because he was an outlander, and the so-called Last Dragonborn had yet to show their face around, so they were especially aware of those not native to the island. While irritating in their loud ravings and preemptive spellcasting, disposing of them was no more difficult than every other mage back in Skyrim. Wards did nothing to defend against knives, and neither did those odd masks they all wore provide any extra defense. At the very least there were very fewer dragons on Solstheim than the mainland, and hence much easier to avoid.

Draugr in crypts and barrows were just as stupid and bumbling corpses as ever, no matter where he was it seemed. Coins and jewels were still in urns, and those ornamental dragon claws used to unlock the puzzle doors in the Hall of Stories were still around as well. Shirosaki wondered if they had any particular significance to the rumored Dragonborn, since everywhere there was a claw made of some kind of precious mineral, then there would be the mysterious Word Walls that nobody could read. In any case, Shirosaki himself gleaned no newfound meaning from the chicken scratch and the claws themselves sold for a pretty sum, so the mystery could afford to remain unsolved.

Shirosaki had been in Solstheim for just over a month now, and made several trips back and forth between Raven Rock and the wilds surrounding it, hauling treasure from the depths of various unexplored places to sell, before he finally admitted he needed someplace to safely stow all the coin he was making here. So far, he'd kept it buried in a chest under the ash at an abandoned farmhouse just outside the Raven Rock bulwark, but just the other day Shirosaki had walked out to add more and found the captain of the guard battling ashspawn there, deeming the location unsafe for continued use. (That encounter secured him another job to find out the source of the ashspawn once and for all, but that would be saved for another day after he'd found a safe spot for his money). He'd been sleeping at the inn/tavern and in the places he'd wiped clean in the wilds, but if he planned to fully explore Solstheim in its entirety, he'd need someplace marginally more permanent and defended to call his own.

Turns out snooping into an old family crypt and accidentally uncovering a plot to assassinate the local ruler was a good way to get a house. Figuring he'd just get rewarded for bringing the information to light, Shirosaki had informed the steward, then got caught up in a tangled mess of politics. It was tedious, reporting in so often to the authorities, but he was abundantly paid each time, and in the end was freely given the newly abandoned house of the traitors as reward, so he figured it was worth the trouble. The place was already entirely furnished, and now with a key to lock his coin behind in a guarded settlement, Shirosaki had someplace safe to lay his head and more importantly stow his fortune.

Shirosaki had yet to know what he was obsessively hoarding money for, just that both here in Solstheim and back in Skyrim, he spent as little as possible and collected as much as he could. Some would call it a compulsion to be rich, psychologically driven as a result of being born and abandoned to be dirt poor for a decade of his life, which had forced him to develop skills of theft in the first place just to survive. His strange pale appearance would've never allowed him to live a respectable normal life anyways, and thieving and murdering turned out to be his forte anyways. All he knew was how to get money, a lot of it, so that is what he would keep doing. It had stopped being just about food and shelter years ago, and started being about something else. What, he didn't know yet, but it wasn't as if collecting money would hurt him in the future, so Shirosaki continued to build his fortune.

~x~

Shirosaki had no weapons of his own, nothing that he'd named and kept above all else. He instead equally picked up and discarded weapons as he came across them, belonging to people he'd killed. As long as they were of fine quality, it sufficed for his needs. Daggers were by far what he was most sufficient with- easy to conceal, able to equip several simultaneously across his body, deadly both in close combat and at ranged if precisely thrown. He was decent with a bow, but found it cumbersome to carry, and so never did, only picking them up to use in battle if he'd run out of knives to throw or knew he was going to need one for an upcoming enemy. He never used a shield, preferring to parry or dodge as opposed to stand and block. He didn't ever use two handed weapons either, finding them too heavy and slow for his method of fighting.

Years of experience had made him a master of remaining unseen if he wished, allowing him to decimate numbers in near silence even before a wider set brawl broke out, allowing him to tip the odds in his favor. He was not too proud to retreat when outnumbered, which let him escape needless injury and return for more sneak attacks at a later time. The number of enemies was meaningless if they were spread out over hundreds of feet, separated by winding tunnels and muffled stone. One by one, small armies would fall to Shirosaki's sole hand, until he alone stood victorious to plunder riches.

Shirosaki was just as deadly bare-handed as well, despite the fact that he was no mage. He carried a potion or two, just in case of inescapable injury, since he had no skill to speak of with magic, but he hardly needed to. If anything still lived after all weapons had been exhausted, then it was likely arrogant enough to disbelieve that it could still be killed by an unarmed man. Shirosaki had snapped the neck of many a foe who had thought him defenseless and approached confidently, only to have their blows evaded and guard invaded. Overconfidence was key in unarmed combat, inviting arrogance to open holes in defense, ones just big enough to reach through, to snap and twist and break bones. Shirosaki had yet to find anyone who could best him in a fist fight either, though most complained that he dodged and deflected too much, unlike a "real" man. As if he would just stand there and take punches like a brainless brute.

~x~

Admittedly, Shirosaki did own a few houses now, though none that he would label as "home" yet. Most recently, a manor in Raven Rock, as well as Honeyside in Riften that the Thieves Guild had procured for him as a gesture of good will, after a particularly useful well of information he'd shared. He had a few unmarked secure locations scattered throughout the nine holds as well, tucked away in places where the trek back to a main city or nearby town had been too far to lug several pounds of treasure back to. They were storage mostly, slowly taken from and added to as his adventuring took him between their locations. Each one had about several hundred septims worth of either coin or other valuables, all secured with locks that could not be picked even by a master locksmith. 

The ring of keys to his various hoards was one of the few things that Shirosaki made sure to always keep on his person. Many a wrist had been broken, belonging to those whom had attempted to lift it from his belt. Around ten keys adorned the ring by now, and Shirosaki contemplated whether to lessen that number for greater security's sake, or increase it for a greater security blanket. Either were viable options concerning the vast amount of wealth each key indicated, but he'd yet to sit down and actively decide which would be best.

~x~

Shirosaki was only allowed in as far as the Ragged Flagon, but not into the Cistern, where the Thieves Guild really lived. That was fine by him, it was their home and treasure room at stake, and he wouldn't welcome any of them into the basement at Honeyside either. In any case, Shirosaki and Vekel the Man were well acquainted, since Shirosaki tended to sit at the bar when one of the higher members weren't disposed to deal with him at the time of his visit. Shirosaki had even managed to procure a series of unusual volumes from a necrophiliac for Vekel, that the other Guild members hadn't thought was worth the time. The deal had enamored him somewhat to the bartender, and the pale loner got discounted drinks instead of a full price as a result. Meals were still full price though, man knew how to run a business even with favors.

"Looking to fence or share information today, Shirosaki?" Vekel asks, ever mindful to keep an ear open towards the comings and goings of those in the Flagon. In some ways, the bartender was the face of the Guild, one that people sometimes forgot was actually a member and told various things that otherwise wouldn't have slipped, if alchhol hadn't been on the table. 

"Info," Shirosaki admitted shortly between bites of a dry meal, scooting his rickety stool closer to the bar top. The Guild was doing better since they'd gotten a new Guildmaster after Mercer, but their furnishing still had a long way to go. "Dunno if ya'll've heard yet, but figured couldn' hurt t' share."

"That being?" Vekel probes, despite being fully aware that some things couldn't be shared across the bar, but sometimes information was harmless enough to pass along early for the lesser ears to hear as well.

Shirosaki hummed around the mouth of his drink, asking for a moment wordlessly while contemplating whether this particular information was minor enough to risk eavesdroppers. A few minor Guild members occupied the surrounding tables, and hoods didn't hide the fact that ears were tilted towards the non-member in their midst. He set his drink down and set upon the seared slaughterfish next.

"Mostly rumor I need t' confirm first," Shirosaki concedes at last, deciding to err on the side of caution for now. The Guild's gotten new members since Mercer was upset, and their luck swung back around. Some won't stick around long, and could take this information elsewhere if he wasn't careful. "If it's true, then wha' I got will be useful. If it ain', then wasted trip 'sides dinner."

Vekel nods understandably, refilling Shirosaki's tankard with ale, to the other's nod of thanks. "Delvin and Vex are out, but Brynjolf should be around soon."

Shirosaki nods again in gratitude, and the two fall silent again, one eating and the other cleaning mugs as they wait. Vekel eyes a new member warningly as she comes up to occupy the stool next to Shirosaki. She's an elf when Shirosaki side-eyes her appearance, an Altmer pale enough to nearly be Wood Elf in the right lighting. Her smile is full of shadows though, and none of the sunlight her face so often claims to be warmed by, so he can see why she was recruited.

"I haven't been around long," She begins without introduction, politely giving Shirosaki his space but keeping her voice loud enough to not be ignored. "So I haven't seen you before. You're not Guild, so informant?"

She's not openly hostile, and isn't crowding his space demanding an answer, so Shirosaki's inclined to give her the benefit of doubt and keep the interaction amiable. He's a valuable asset and she's new. If things escalate to ugly, he'll walk out of the Flagon, but she'll be thrown.

"Of a sort," He agrees vaguely, not deliberately being difficult, but because it's true. Being an informant is not his sole existence in regards to the Guild. "I bring things in t' sell now an' again."

She hums in acknowledgement, leaning an elbow on the bar to prop her chin in one palm. Shirosaki isn't sure if it's the gloom of her hood turning her eyes green or if they actually are when they stare unblinkingly at him. It makes him think of underwater in murky woodland waters for some reason. As he's staring, she blinks slowly and when they open again her eyes are pointed downwards and he wonders if she's actually trying to seduce him, or trying to make him think that she is in order to lower his guard. It wouldn't be the first time someone had attempted it, no matter how futile.

"Valaure, leave him alone if you're looking to pester someone," Vekel finally verbally warns after all his looks had been ignored. "Go find Vipir for lessons or something."

The elf finally turns away to exaggeratedly pout at Vekel's interruption. "It was just a simple question," She defends herself sweetly, and suddenly Shirosaki's a lot more irritated by her presence than before. "I didn't think I was bothering anyone."

Shirosaki allows annoyance to furrow his brow to indicate that he now considers himself bothered when she turns to look back at him, and a combination of his new expression and Vekel's warning causes the Altmer thief to sigh with false despondency. She offers neither apologies nor goodbyes as she slides off the stool and departs into the Cistern, disappearing to presumably find Vipir as suggested.

Shirosaki frowns after her departure. "Why does she remind me o' someone?"

"Tone of voice," Vekel confides with similarly felt annoyance, finding another mug to scrub aggressively. "A spoiled child having done nothing wrong."

Shirosaki snorts. "Ah, tha's it." He scrapes clean the last morsel on his plate, then offers the dish back to the bartender. "Thanks."

Vekel nods absently as he takes the plate back and sets it aside to clean later, casting his eyes around the Flagon for new occupants while Shirosaki nurses his remaining ale. It's emptied out some actually, members having trickled elsewhere after it'd been made apparent that no juicy information was being shared to eavesdrop on. Only Dirge at his usual post and Tonilia at her bench, with a few hooded members new enough that Vekel doesn't remember their names yet remains.

Shirosaki has drained his second tankard of ale by the time Brynjolf finally shows his face out of the Cistern, and he spots Shirosaki's own pale visage at the bar immediately.

"Aye lad, what is it this time?" Brynjolf acknowledges without otherwise greeting, cutting past pleasantries. If Shirosaki was sitting around, it meant that he had information, otherwise he'd fence to Tonilia and be gone before Brynjolf even knew he was there. 

Shirosaki slaps a few coins on the bar top to cover his meal and drinks, then gestures to be followed to the side for a marginally more private discussion. It was enough of a pattern that Brynjolf doesn't bother protesting being led around on his own turf and merely follows Shirosaki's lead to a side divot that had yet to be reoccupied by a merchant.

"First need ya t' confirm a rumor fer me," Shirosaki begins lowly once they're sufficiently away from even the sharpest ears. "S'it true tha' one o' ya lifted somethin' weird in Winterhold?"

Brynjolf frowns, and that alone is enough to indicate that they had, and that he's displeased that somehow word of it had spread so quickly. "Where'dja hear that now?"

"At Winterhold," Shirosaki eases the second-in-command's concerns somewhat, reassuring that the information hadn't made it quite this far south yet. He'd suffered a very long few days worth of carriage ride to get here ahead word of mouth. "S'jus' speculation tha' it's ya'll so far, like it always is when stuff goes missin'. So it's true then."

"Aye," Brynjolf confirms shortly, crossing his arms. "Hasn' been here more than a month, can't find where it fits yet." His brows lift from their furrow as he cottons on to the reason of Shirosaki's visit.

Shirosaki's already nodding to confirm the suspicion. "Been there b'fore, know where it fits. Couldn' find it there like most, an' now I know why, if th' description's any accurate."

"Coral, snake, wolf, moth?"

Shirosaki clucks his tongue. "Bingo, got a map?"

"I'll bring it to the bar."

A minute later, Shirosaki trails his finger over the well-used paper and taps a location northeast of Windhelm. "Nothin' but a bunch o' weird harmless orbs bouncin' 'round last I was there, but couldn' get past th' door without wha'cha got, so anythin' past tha' is yer problem."

"Yngol's Barrow," Brynjolf reveals its name after recognizing the indicated location. "And yer sure our claw fits that door?"

"Tried all th' combinations m'self." Shirosaki confirms. "Snake, wolf, moth are all th' repeats. There's th' lock t' yer key."

Brynjolf nods with satisfaction, rolling up the map to put aside. "Alright, which wouldja prefer? I can pay ya upfront or give ya a cut of what's inside after."

"I'll jus' take some now," Shirosaki decides easily. "Yer free t' everythin' past th' door, since I already cleared up t' it anyways. 'Sides, dunno wha's even left after tha', could even be nothin' worth either o' our time."

"Fair enough." Brynjolf agrees, well aware that between them, Shirosaki has more experience with the ornamental dragon claws and their matching barrows. He spills out a coin purse onto the bar top and carelessly separates two-thirds of it to push in Shirosaki's direction.

Shirosaki more carefully counts the offered amount to confirm it's satisfactory, then accepts and sweeps the coin into his own bag. "Fair 'nough." He parrots with a grin, hand extended.

Brynjolf's answering smirk is more muted as he answers the handshake. "Pleasure doing business as always."

"Good fortune t' ya." Shirosaki returns as warmly as he can muster, since out of all the guild, he admittedly does favor Brynjolf best. The man conducts good up-front business to his partnerships, contrary to the rumored typical underground dealings. He never skimps on a bargain, and gives fair payment suitable to both goods and information. Shirosaki wishes the man had actually stepped up to be Guildmaster himself, since the new one is hardly ever in Riften anyways, but to each their own.

Primary business concluded, Shirosaki returns above ground out of the Ratway, and contentedly adds his new addition of coin to the stacks of in his safe at Honeyside. It's nearly full now, which means he'll need to get another container soon to keep adding to his hidden wealth. He'd spent a good portion making sure the entire house was comfortably furnished and well-secured, but nothing that would indicate just how lavishly he could've otherwise made it. It was a house, not a home, someplace to sleep and store septims until one day he finally did have a home- and then would that place be extravagant indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may add more to this alternate universe later, but for now I just wanted to get this out there added to the Bleach/Skyrim mashup collection I've got going here xD


	17. Quests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Failisse for their lovely comments, and giving me a little inspiration to write this little doo-dad~ <3  
> Ichigo has a checklist, and Shirosaki is dramatic.  
> Takes place in the original vampire verse, early on in their relationship.

"Wha' is tha'?"

Ichigo doesn't look up, squinting as he scribbles another note in his journal.

"What is what?"

"Yer kiddin' me."

Ichigo pauses to scrub the heel of one hand into his eye, the orb itching with the strain of writing by fire light.

"What?" He repeats, returning the pencil to the page to finish.

"Yer serious. Tha's actually... by Molag Bal's nonexistent mercy."

" _What,_ " Ichigo snaps, finally looking up to connect gazes with the vampire being annoyingly vague. "Are you talking about?!"

Shirosaki pinches his eyes shut, looking pained. "Tha's a checklist."

Ichigo's brow wrinkles. "Yeah?"

Shirosaki whines as if stabbed, turning away from Ichigo like he'd been the one to do it. "We're all gonna die."

Ichigo huffs air sharply. "Shirosaki, seriously, what the hell are you talking about?"

Still presenting Ichigo with only his profile, Shirosaki holds out both hands and tucks a thumb in. "Th' helmet in th' cave." He folds an index finger in. "Th' lute at th' dwarven ruin."

Ichigo's brow arches slowly as the vampire recounts their recent past endeavors one at a time, until one hand is entirely curled into a fist. He interrupts before Shirosaki can continue onto his second hand.

"Yeah, and?"

Shirosaki leans his forehead against his newly made fist, the picture of abject defeat. "A' first I thought ya were jus' a hoarder wit' weird hobbies. But ya have a checklist."

"Is there a point to this?"

Shirosaki breathes out slowly, whether trying for patience or for dramatic effect. What little Ichigo knew of his vampiric companion, he would believe either.

"Ya go inta town... an' ya talk t' people..."

"Would you just spit it out already?"

"Ya talk t' em," Shirosaki continues with his deliberate slow pace of wording, ignoring Ichigo's mounting frustration. "An' ya write wha' they want down, in a book."

"AND?!"

"An'," Shirosaki accepts the emphasis gracefully, shifting his fist so that his fingers pinch at the bridge of his nose instead. "M' father wants t' darken th' sun... an' yer writin' checklists fer every damsel in distress who can't find their way out th' front door."

It clicks, sharply enough that Ichigo leans back in offense.

"It doesn't take that long!"

"We're all gonna die." Shirosaki repeats grimly.

Ichigo slaps his journal shut with enough force to cause a gust of air to rustle his hair.

"We are _not_ going to die just because I help people along the way!"

"So yer checklist is cuz ya have a bad memory, instead of cuz it's impossible t' remember two dozen simpleton's dirty work?"

Ichigo grinds his teeth together, his hesitance to reply all the confirmation Shirosaki needs to groan and gracelessly fall over backwards off the tree trunk, leaving only his legs below the knee visible. Why that overdramatic little-

Ichigo angrily stuffs his journal back into his pack. "Shut up. It's not like we have any leads at the moment anyways! There's nothing wrong with helping people out along the way!"

Shirosaki groans again, just loud enough to be heard from across the campfire.

"There _isn't!_ " Ichigo insists hotly, stabbing at the fire with a log to expose fresh embers that would allow the wood to catch easier. "It's not their fault that they don't know about the world ending! To them, these things are important!"

"I _hate_ you." Shirosaki emphasizes clearly, with strong enough emotion that he forced his accent to form proper Norse.

Ichigo fumes silently, giving up on reasoning with the vampire about the merits of helping the common folk with their daily grievances.

Shirosaki, however, entirely uncaring that his audience is glaring with full force, continues to lament.

"I crawled through filthy draugr filled barrows fer auntie's great flowered bloomers."

"You did not! Stop exaggerating!"

"I wanna go back t' Dimhollow Crypt, bury me fer another millenia."

" _Gladly!_ "


	18. Lockpicking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> o.o posting that last chapter had me in the mood to write more of this Bleach/Skyrim fusion, but I hadn't realized that I actually did have more already written on this new computer (aka my last one died and took a lot of my writing with it D; ) until just now when I checked :O so have some more :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more of Ichigo doing dragonborn(player) things that annoy Shirosaki into being dramatic about it  
> (bc apparently i have a weakness for it xD)  
> takes place after beginning their romantic relationship

"Ichigo," Shirosaki draws out the dragonborn's name laboriously, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Yanno m' very fond o' ya, more than I'd thought possible, but th' amount o' stupid shit ya do is genuinely worrisome."

Ichigo's lips twitch upwards, because despite the fact the vampire was obviously irritable, he'd also just admitted his affection, and that was a rare thing to hear indeed. He couldn't help but grin over his shoulder, even when it all it served him was Shirosaki's utterly unimpressed expression. "Love you too."

"Don' gimme tha'," Shirosaki scowls, refusing to be swayed from his annoyance despite having invited the words himself by his earlier phrasing. "Why d'ya insist on pickin' open every lock we find. It's a waste o' time."

Ichigo shrugs, returning his gaze to the gate he'd been attempting to lockpick open before Shirosaki's comment had drawn his attention. "You never know what's inside, it could be something worthwhile."

"Ya can _see_ inside," Shirosaki slaps a palm flat against the golden metal bars. "There's nothin' there."

"That we can see from _here_ ," Ichigo counters, cursing under his breath when a pick breaks and he has to start over. "There's sometimes chests behind the pillars or in the corners."

"By th' blood o' m' ancestors," Shirosaki mutters crossly, walking across the room to fling himself into a stone chair to wait instead of standing. "An there'll be nothin' but junk in em anyways- still a waste o' time."

Ichigo struggles to suppress his noise of amusement, since the only reason the vampire didn't storm ahead without him was the fact that in these dwarven ruins, the automatons resisted his ice magic and he didn't want to deal with several only equipped with a dagger. And Ichigo didn't want to piss Shirosaki off any more into doing so and needlessly endangering himself due to frustration, so he keeps quiet and allows the snow elf to snap and sulk in alternating patterns without reproach.


	19. Blackreach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so there's that giant glowing orb in blackreach, yea? that summons a dragon when you shout unrelenting force at it.  
> cue Shirosaki being really pissed about it  
> can take place either before or after their romantic relationship starts, but i believe during the time i wrote it, i had before in mind. either will work

"Why th' fuck d'ya do these things?!" Shirosaki shrieks in Ichigo's ear, and the dragonborn flinches at the volume despite the fact that there was currently a dragon attempting to melt the stone they were sheltering behind and was much louder.

"How was I supposed to know Shouting at it would summon a dragon?" Ichigo protests, staggering when the pale vampire shoves him.

"Wha' drove ya t' Shout at it in th' first place?!" 

"Can we argue about this later?" Ichigo snaps. "You know, when a dragon isn't trying to kill us?"

"When would tha' be?" Shirosaki snaps back just as quickly. "Cuz apparently ya can't go more than an hour without fightin' one!"

"Stendarr's mercy," Ichigo swears, standing when the dragon at last abandons its Fire Breath and takes flight in the narrow space allowed by the high ceiling of Blackreach. "Just stay in cover so you don't get burned, we can't stay here overnight."

Thankfully, the dragon landing nearby again blocks out whatever Shirosaki said in reply, doubtlessly something as pissed as his previous statements and pauses their argument. It's not until after Ichigo has absorbed the dragon's soul after slaying it, leaning over his knees to regain his breath, when Shirosaki slides down the slope the fight had devolved into and slaps him squarely between the shoulderblades.

" _You_ ," Shirosaki seethes as Ichigo flails to avoid faceplanting into the dirt. "Are th' most aggravatin' person I've _ever_ met!"

"You know, I'd apologize," Ichigo says dryly after catching his balance and sheathes his sword. "But I don't think you'd accept it. Besides, don't tell me that you'd prefer a boring day-to-day life."

"Wha' I'd _prefer_ ," Shirosaki snaps. "Is fer ya t' stop doin' stupid shit so ya don' _die._ "


	20. Bonding and Enthralling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> takes place soon after Dimhollow Crypt, early on in the story  
> liberal use of game mechanics used here (aka vampire's seduction ability)

"Were you always a vampire?" Ichigo asks around a mouthful of charred skeever hide, more bored and itching for a conversation than actually curious.

"Wha', ya thought I jus' popped out wit' fangs already?" Shirosaki scoffs, slouching further down the tree he's leaning against. "No, dear King, once I was mortal too."

Ichigo scowls lightly at the mocking. The day is too nice to waste it being mad at his asshole companion. "I was just asking, I mean, I've never seen another vampire as old as you are."

Shirosaki hums, linking his fingers together over his stomach. "I'd be offended but it's true, m'old as shit."

Ichigo snorts in amusement, pulling an answering grin out of the vampire at the unattractive sound. "What do you remember about being normal?" 

Now Ichigo _is_ curious, as it seems he's caught the tight-lipped immortal in an amiable mood. Normally Shirosaki wouldn't answer anything about his past if asked, probably just to spite Ichigo.

"Wha' d'ya 'member bout bein' an infant?" Shirosaki counters lazily. "If ya equalize our lifepsans, tha's essentially wha' yer askin' me. Most days I can't 'member a century ago, much less couple thousand."

Ichigo pulls a face, thinking back to Shirosaki's comment that the Empire hadn't existed when he'd been sealed away. "Fair enough. I forget what I had for breakfast some days."

Shirosaki snickers. "I think maybe ya jus' took too many hits t' th' head there, King."

"We were having a moment," Ichigo deadpans. "Now you've gone and ruined it." *****

Shirosaki bursts out laughing, and Ichigo is surprised by how bright and honest it sounds compared to the vampire's snide snickering or insane cackling in battle. Ichigo hides a pleased smile in his waterskin and finishes off the water inside, tucking it back in his bag afterwards.

"You ready to keep going?"

"As ever, m' dear King."

Ichigo is then hit with a moment of wondering when Shirosaki had begun adding endearments in addition to his customary 'nickname'. Hopeful that they were beginning to genuinely get along, Ichigo shoulders his pack and sets off south down the road. That idea is snuffed out not two hours later. 

At first, Ichigo's not even sure what provokes the woman into attacking them. He'd thought she was merely a fellow traveler, perhaps even a mercenary on her way to a job. It's when she pulls even with Shirosaki though, that she swears an oath to Stendar and starts swinging her mace. 

Ichigo spends the next few minutes agonizingly dancing between the vampire and vigilant, struggling to keep them from killing each other. He's just got her in a deadlock when he feels Shirosaki's face next to his own, and then there's this hair-raising sensation that screams that the vampire is doing _something_. 

Ichigo roughly shoulders Shirosaki in the chest to reproach him, but the damage has been done. The vigilant's expression has gone slack with unnerving awe- she looks downright worshipful. Immediately uneasy, Ichigo carefully disengages, making sure to keep between Shirosaki and the woman still. He shoots Shirosaki a side glare when she continues to do nothing but stare dopily at them. It's really starting to creep him out.

"What did you do to her?" 

Shirosaki curls his lip. "Bluntly? Seduced her."

"What?!" Ichigo yelps, stepping away in a motion that the vampire will later mock him for as a scandalized virgin. 

"Ya wouldn' lemme kill her, she wouldn' have left us alone, neither o' us know Calm, so I did th' next best thing." Shirosaki explains shortly, crossing his arms in preparation for the incoming protest. 

"What do you mean, _seduced_ her?" Ichigo squeaks. "Like a thrall?"

"A step before tha' actually. She's enamored wit' me at th' moment, but not enslaved. I'd hafta bite her to complete th' process." Shirosaki scowls when Ichigo immediately steps between them again. "M' not _goin'_ t', jackass. Jus' think o' it as a suped up Calm spell. She'll be fine in an hour or so anyways."

Ichigo slaps a hand to his face, pushing at Shirosaki with the other. "Okay, let's get out of here then, now."

Sneering at being pushed, Shirosaki steps away, throwing an order over his shoulder at the vigilant. "Don' follow us."

Needless to say, enthralling anyone becomes another thing to bicker about between the two of them. So much for bonding...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***** used one of my favorite banter lines from Blackwall to Dorian from dragon age: inquisition here xD  
>  and yea, that's actually all i've got for now again :3  
> as always, thanks for reading, feedback and critique are appreciated! :* <3


	21. Vampire Lord

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SKYRIM REMASTERED RELEASED SO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS~! Yet another playthrough, that's exactly right.  
> I am on a mission to get all the achievements again, and you can bet I'll have my favorite vampire companion right beside me for a majority of the way. And as always as I play for awhile, my brain starts ticking and goes "Yanno this would make a decent plotbunny for that series you've got."  
> So, whup there it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now this chapter takes place chronologically in the original storyline, with Dragonborn Ichigo and Vampire Shirosaki. Can take place after the last, or basically anytime after they've completed the Dawnguard DLC main storyline and become lovers.  
> This particular subject pays attention to the special power, Vampire Lord. I mean, technically if the player/dragonborn can become one, and Harkon was one, then Serana (and her mother too) should be one as well, right? So this is a chapter paying attention to it (albeit in a mostly mental kind of way rather than physical attention towards it). And as always of course, take it with a grain of salt as I try to implement game mechanics into "real world applications" aka writing believably.  
> This was kinda chewed out in like a half hour, so lemme know if it just sounds weird or there's any typos and I'll see what I can do to fix it up. <3

Shirosaki _can_ transform into a Vampire Lord, but he doesn't _prefer_ to. The form is powerful, certainly, but it's also vulnerable. Not to mention his personal distaste with how it even looks, because yes Shirosaki is that vain. There's also a significant part of himself, one that he keeps buried deep down inside where it's silent, that worries about what Ichigo might think to see it. His father had adopted the form in their final battle against him, where Ichigo had wielded Auriel's Bow against what'd been by all words could describe, a monster.

The last thing Shirosaki wants is to equate that image of his father, with himself.

So Shirosaki doesn't mention it, and Ichigo doesn't think to bring it up, and it suits them both just fine that way.

There are a few times, however, when Shirosaki feels the slightest inclination that the abilities that go hand in hand with the Vampire Lord would be useful. The ability to levitate, and cross great distances effortlessly in a swarm of invulnerable bats. To be able to pull somebody closer, when they're entrenched into a position that makes passing both tedious and dangerous. Once, Shirosaki had even managed to summon a gargoyle to aid him in battle, and idly wonders now if he could manage to do the same in a current attempt. Each urge passes unheeded, as Shirosaki works around a large portion of his powers in favor of his own skill instead. 

Ichigo usually has little issue, with the amount of Shouts he inherently knows as Dragonborn. He may not be able to telekinetically _pull_ anyone, but he sure as Stendarr can _push_ everyone. Whirlwind Sprint can allow him to pass across great gaps in an instant, and Become Ethereal renders him both harmless and unable to be harmed. He even knows a Shout that allows him to summon ethereal companions from Sovengarde to assist them in battle.

Everything that Shirosaki cannot perform simply due to his refusal to transform into a Vampire Lord, Ichigo can nearly do exactly the same just by being born the way he was. It's almost poetic, if Shirosaki were inclined that way. It mostly just leaves him thinking that there's no real _need_ for the Vampire Lord form, if Ichigo can do all that himself. 

Right up until there's no other choice.

Theoretically, Shirosaki knows that the only reason they're back in the Forgotten Vale is because Urog from The Mage's College was interested in the Falmer Tomes Ichigo had found the first and last time they were here. Ichigo was more than willing to make another trip back and find even more valuables, now that the majority of the threats have been taken care of (including Falmer, frost giants, and even the memorable twin dragons that'd emerged from under the ice). Shirosaki, however, was not as willing.

Especially when Ichigo decides it's a fantastic idea to get into a fight with yet another frost giant, right next to a frozen waterfall that's steadily losing more of its ice the longer the bumbling beast with a massive club slams it against the ground in attempts to hit Ichigo. Shirosaki keeps his distance, as usual, sending bolts of lightning and shards of ice between intervals depending on Ichigo's proximity to the frost giant. He's been circling around on the frozen lake, trying to get a better angle to send spells because his damn partner keeps moving so frequently.

Chance would have it that the frost giant throws its club in one last furious bid to hit its annoyingly persistent attacker, and Ichigo literally leaps at the opening and plunges his ebony sword deeply into the exposed arm socket- a fatal wound that will swiftly leech the beast of its strength until there's more blood left pooled outside than in. Shirosaki dimly registers the final blow as Ichigo dances away out of range just as quickly, having unfortunately been in the almost direct path of the hurled club. He ducks, and it goes sailing harmlessly over his head- only to land with a thunderous crack against the ice. The frozen lake beneath the vampire's feet becomes alive, buckling with freezing water surging up through the cracks and urged to follow the natural flow down the waterfall. 

" _You-!_ "

-is the farthest Shirosaki's complaint towards either Ichigo or the giant (probably both) gets, right before he slips right over the edge in a shower of dislodged ice and pounding water. 

Even after so long, the shift comes naturally to Shirosaki. The mantle of the Vampire Lord slips effortlessly into his very bones, reshaping his skin and granting him new power to survive even the apparent impossible. It's only a moment, a twist in the air and a few hard thrusts of the muscles that make up his "wings", and then Shirosaki is landing safely at the bottom of the waterfall on dry ground. The shape slips away as easily as he'd taken it, and newly reformed to his normal appearance, Shirosaki twists to peer upwards from where he'd fallen.

Distantly, he sees what he assumes to be the dark shape of Ichigo peering over the edge in search of him. Shirosaki sends up a rude gesture even though he's equally confident there's no way the Dragonborn can see it. Ichigo calls down something, too distant and echoing off the frozen walls to make out clearly, but Shirosaki figures it's some kind of reassuring plea to stay right where he is, considering Ichigo vanishes out of view another moment later, presumably to find a way down.

Shirosaki's heart theoretically leaps into his throat when instead he sees the ghostly form of Ichigo, the one he takes after Shouting Become Ethereal, launch himself off the side and plummet down to join him. Laying a hand on his chest, Shirosaki momentarily closes his eyes and counts to ten in his native Elvish, begging wordlessly for patience to deal with his reckless lover.

"Shiro, you okay?" Ichigo asks, still sounding faint although that's probably the lingering effects of his Shout rather than any great distance, considering the vampire had just watched Ichigo land harmlessly to the ground.

"Am _I_ ok," Shirosaki mutters bitterly, opening his eyes to swat aside Ichigo's reaching hand and missing as the last of the ethereal blue seeps out of the Nord's arm. " _Yer_ insane."

"Hey, I've done it before." Ichigo defends himself with a wry grin, shaking out his hand as if he could still feel the sting from the missed swat.

"Not helpin' yer point."

Ichigo shrugs, unrepentant of using his Shouts as cheats whenever he finds the chance to. The expression he takes on next is unfamiliar though, causing anxiety to spike in Shirosaki's nonexistent bloodflow. 

Had Ichigo perhaps seen more than Shirosaki had wished him to? The fall had been quick, the action before it even more so. Had there even been enough time for Ichigo to race to the edge and see anything properly before the distance made anything doubtful?

"I don' wanna talk bout it." Shirosaki cuts across before Ichigo can even open his mouth, just in case. He crosses his arms and stalks away, aimless in direction but fully intending to go anywhere but attending this conversation.

Ichigo's retort stutters as the obvious question tries to turn into a protest, the Nord scrambling to follow Shirosaki's set pace before another great distance separates them again. He clears his throat and tries again, just a few steps behind the vampire. 

"I mean, we don't _have_ to..." He trails off uncertainly, but sounding persistent and proven when he continues despite his prior words. "I'm just curious, I guess. That was quite the fall...?"

"An' m' fine." Shirosaki retorts, stuffing his hair down his collar and pulling his hood back up sharply. "There, discussion had. Movin' on."

"And I'm glad too!" Ichigo assures hurriedly, lengthening his stride to pull ahead of Shirosaki and then stopping, forcing the vampire to halt as well unless he wants to soak his boots in ice water by stepping off the narrow shore and into the river. "You never told me you know telekinesis."

Somewhat relieved that Ichigo just thinks it's another form of his ordinary magic, Shirosaki shrugs one shoulder off handedly. "Taxes m' magicka too much. Don' like t' use it often is all."

"Funny though," Ichigo's tone says that Shirosaki has walked right into a trap. "Last time I saw that spell it was orange, not red and black."

Shirosaki huffs air sharply through his nose, chancing a look towards Ichigo. The Dragonborn has crossed his arms now, looking a mix between smug at having caught Shirosaki in a lie and pissed that he's being lied to. The Snow Elf yanks at his sleeves to cover his hands in a restless motion to buy some time.

"Just tell me the truth, Shiro. What happened?"

"Whaddya think happened?" Shirosaki mutters under his breath, watching chunks of dislodged ice from the battle above still drift by in the river every now and then. "Yer smart, put it t'gether."

"I think..." Ichigo starts slowly, maybe trying for reassuring but just coming across as sounding uncertain. "That you transformed to save yourself, but I didn't see it up close, so I just want to hear you tell me the truth."

"Fine, yer right, I did. Are we done now?" Shirosaki confirms all in a snap, stuffing his hands under his arms in a move that would make anybody else look cold, if he wasn't a vampire and didn't quite feel that temperature anymore.

"Almost." Ichigo returns, almost cheekily. He steps even closer, bowing his head slightly to be able to peer into Shirosaki's hood. "Why didn't you tell me before that you could do the same thing?"

"Didn' wanna," Shirosaki admits petulantly, hating that just the mere sight of Ichigo's brown eyes going all soft and warm like expensive chocolate has him spitting out the truth in a second. "Hate it. Didn' want ya t' see me like tha'."

Ichigo makes a vaguely understanding noise, reaching with both hands inside Shirosaki's hood and framing the vampire's face between both gloved hands. The worn leather caress is a poor substitute for actual skin, but it's one Shirosaki has become familiar with as the toils of traveling across Skyrim requires their gear to remain on even while showing affection. The warm press of Ichigo's lips is always the same though, completely unhindered and open to him at all times.

Ichigo retreats just enough to breathe words into the space between their mouths. "I wouldn't care. So long as it's you, I don't care what you look like."

"Sap." Shirosaki retorts, his usual sarcastic bite gone missing and only leaving the single word sounding more like an endearment than anything. 

Ichigo grins broadly, hearing correctly. "Yeah, I know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't gotten so far as myself to get to the Forgotten Vale yet in my newest playthrough, but this was a scene I'd been thinking about for a long time. I may have actually had part of it written already, which maybe why it seems so familiar to me now after the fact, but that was on my old laptop that died and took a big chunk of my old writing with it (still mourning that).  
> Anyways, I've only just picked up Serana and started on the Moth Priest search in my current save files, so there may be hope for more quick scenes being added to this still! Wish me luck (the like two people who actually read this x'D ilu) <3


	22. Why can't we be friends?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the way back to the usual rendezvous with Shirosaki, Ichigo gets distracted in thought and taken by surprise. Things get hairy very quickly, but surviving the ordeal is the least of Ichigo's worries. Shiro's going to be pissed. Again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the other day (a week ago now actually), I learned that my favorite companion ever (besides Serana) got an update for the Skyrim Special Edition, and then I immediately went on an all out grind achievement hunt so that I could use mods again. (His name is Inigo btw and if you don't already know about him, then comment about it and I'll leave a lengthy rant about my adoration but ANYWAYS!) Needless to say, my Skyrim SE now has all 75 achievements unlocked to match the original game in my steam library.  
> So yeah, a lot of Skyrim again recently, which as always inspires me to write a bit more in this universe. This time in particular was inspired by my wandering vaguely in the direction of quest objectives, and getting killed on the roads along the way. And yes, the title is from that song you know by the same words. Have fun~

Pockets blessedly lighter and coinpurse significantly heavier, Ichigo puts Riften to his back and sets his feet on the path towards reuniting with Shirosaki. As always before the Nord went into town to sell his hard-earned (somewhat illegitimately gained) goods, they had established a pre-determined location that both would return to after a set amount of time had passed. There were still several hours left until that time collapsed, so Ichigo could afford to take his time and meander as he wished, even after his shopping and resupplying were finished. 

The Dragonborn wanders past the stables, and the farm, skirting the lake and keeping a wary eye on the fort in the distance. He'd recently cleared it of bandits just the other week, and hopes that the figures he spots patrolling the upper ramparts are Imperial soldiers rather than a resupply of thugs. Either way, it'll remain a mystery as to who's obtained it for their respective efforts until another day. Ichigo has his sights set elsewhere, particularly somewhere that doesn't require him to expend effort on anyone else's behalf but his own. 

It's a beautiful day for a stroll, and most would think that Ichigo gets plenty of his fill for sightseeing with the amount of hiking he gets travelling across Skyrim on endless endeavors of adventure. Ichigo himself, however, mentally separates the moments in his head. Striding along the roads with a quest in mind does not equal walking along the same roads and appreciating the simple act of doing so. One is a mission and must be completed in a timely manner, the other is a leisure activity that's become a rare commodity and hence one to be treasured when Ichigo has the time to enjoy not having a quest to rush towards completing. 

The sun is starting to set, turning the already gorgeous woods of The Rift into blazing hues of brilliant oranges and glowing reds. The air smells crisp of autumn, and looks it too. Ichigo's reminded of apples and ale, warm baked bread, and thick furs spread out before a crackling fireplace. It reminds him of home, despite the fact his family lives nowhere near The Rift. It's nearly enough to make him actually homesick, for the first time in years. Ichigo writes letters to his family often, usually whenever he's in town and can hire a courier to travel the roads he won't be seeing for quite some time still. Thankfully, those very same couriers are tenacious about delivering replies, and so the Nord has never felt bereft of his family before. The otherwise truth, however, is that Ichigo hasn't seen the face of one of his family for nearly five years now. 

Things had happened like an avalanche, so quickly and without warning with such devastating change and consequence, that even recovering from such an event took months of effort. In Ichigo's case, it was discovering he was Dragonborn and all the responsibilities that came with the title. Then the Dawnguard had approached him not a week after Ichigo had slain Alduin, and Shirosaki happened. Diverting a mad vampire's lust for power that would darken the sun permanently did put all ideas of a visit back home to the side for quite a while. In fact, now that Ichigo's actually thinking about it, two whole years have passed now with Shirosaki at his side.

Ichigo entertains thoughts of bringing his lover home to meet his family. Writing about Shirosaki to them in letters was one thing, actually introducing a vampire to his parents and baby sisters was another entirely. Then there was the wholly alien aspect of how Shirosaki might react to the suggestion. The Snow Elf had lost his own family, in two very different but equally awful ways. Would he see Ichigo's attempt to integrate him into the Nord's own as pity, and hence reject any and all offers for a visitation? It depends, really, on the mood that Ichigo has to catch his surly lover in. Only then, Shirosaki _might_ agree, if Ichigo words it carefully. 

Lost in thought (mostly about how his mother would honestly adore Shirosaki once they got to know each other), Ichigo doesn't realize how far from civilization he's walked until he hears the growl of an animal. Snapping out of his daydreaming, Ichigo reaches automatically for his sword while internally scolding himself for being so distracted. The roads were far from safe to travel on good days, much less with a clouded mind. 

Luckily for Ichigo, the only threat that shows its snarling face is a lone wolf that doesn't look quite ready to attack by itself. Ichigo eyes it warily anyways, minding his footing on the cobble road so he doesn't trip up and give the beast an opening. Wolves are only dangerous in number, and even then they've proven to be predictable with time and experience. Some are just territorial but unwilling to fight needlessly, so if he's careful, Ichigo can sometimes avoid bloodshed entirely. Just as the Nord's thinking that this might be one of those times, he hears the growl of a far greater threat, much closer.

 _Why are there so many bears in The Rift?_ Ichigo thinks inanely, right before he's bowled over by a massive weight. Landing harshly on his side in a preemptive attempt to roll over and face the threat, Ichigo's sword gets caught in its sheath from the unfortunate angle. A quick jab to the bear's nose makes it retreat from its lunge just shortly enough for Ichigo to squirm his weight around and free the ebony blade, but not long enough to position it correctly. Ichigo's forced to use his weapon as a glorified stick between the bear's slobbering jaws, shoving upward with all his might to keep the beast from mauling him.

Over the roaring of blood in his ears and the bear's growling roars, Ichigo hears raspy barking. It seems the wolf hasn't run off, and Ichigo glimpses its dark hide dart past the bear's left side right before sharp teeth sink into the leather of his boot. Swearing at both the pain and realization of being tag-teamed by an unlikely pair of animals, Ichigo kicks out as he's best able while still trying to fend off the bear's jaws. 

Rather than thinking about the embarrassing demise of being mauled to death by a bear, Ichigo is struck by the idea that Shirosaki is going to be so _pissed_ to find him like this. The vampire would probably raise him, just to kill him again for being so stupid. Ironically, it's this thought that gives Ichigo the inspiration to save himself.

He Shouts Kyne's Peace, turning the very air green for the slightest second with the force of his voice commanding the animals to yield, and curses himself for not thinking of his ability to do so far sooner. Placidly, the bear and wolf quit their snarling together, and appear more baffled by Ichigo's presence than enraged. Ichigo gives the great lumbering beast a shove of encouragement, and the bear finally moves off. The wolf yips, sounding almost playful now despite the fact it'd just been trying to tear off his foot not seconds ago, and runs off into the trees. With some mild amazement of his own, Ichigo watches as the bear seemingly groans in answer, and follows after the canine at a far slower pace.

Now Ichigo's just left with a twisted ankle and saliva covering his sword and arms. Overall, not the worst outcome for surviving an animal attack, but still far from the greatest. Wincing as he sits up and shifts, Ichigo places his sword on the ground beside him and gingerly pulls his afflicted foot towards himself. It doesn't look as though the wolf's teeth punctured the leather too deeply, and the hope is revealed to be lucky truth after the Nord's carefully peeled off the footwear and appraised his skin. It's swelling quickly, sure to bruise, but there's no blood. He could probably sip a healing potion and be without a limp by the time he makes it back to the rendezvous.

Ichigo decides to do exactly that. He'd rather be one potion down on his supplies, than tell Shirosaki that he'd nearly gotten mauled by a bear and wolf, and listen to the vampire's nagging for days to come. As much as Ichigo loves him dearly, Shirosaki _never_ lets anything go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> True story, I was wandering along and I spot this wolf. No big deal, wolves die easily, and they only ever come in twos or threes. This wolf looked to be alone, which wasn't unusual either, so I didn't think anything of it. It was only until the wolf ran around me, that a bear I hadn't seen came up from behind me as I was distracted, and proceeded to mow my ass down. Now I'm a spastic saver, so I reloaded just seconds before that happened, and this time I did get to see that it was an actual wolf and bear chilling out together, and coordinated an attack to get me killed. Kudos, you unlikely pair of friends, you got me. Hence, this little do-dad drabble fic was written.


End file.
